Ruben Amorim delighted for Hojlund and Garnacho as Manchester United clinch important win over Leicester
Sport
Football
Red Devils complete just their 10th win of difficult season ahead of international break
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The National
40 minutes ago
- The National
Ebbsfleet United: Football minnows bound to controversial Kuwaiti owners hit rock bottom
The football season in England is over. Among the losers is Ebbsfleet United. The professional North Kent, Thames Estuary club finished rock bottom of the National League, the fifth tier of the football pyramid, with 22 points from 46 games, managing just three wins and racking up a goal difference of minus 60. Down to the next tier Ebbsfleet goes. Incredibly, despite it all, Ebbsfleet – which in 2008 was the first Kent club to win the FA Trophy – still attracts about an average of 1,450 hardy souls to each home game. Ebbsfleet may be down, but "the Fleet" is not a club without soaring ambition. Last month, a public inquiry began into plans backed by the club for an 8,000-capacity stadium by the Thames. The surrounding Northfleet Harbourside development also includes 3,500 homes, a hotel, offices and retail space. For those who follow the club's fortunes and indeed the wider subject of football ownership, the planning application elicited a feeling of deja vu. Ebbsfleet's owner until recently, and ultimate backer of the Northfleet Harbourside development, Abdulla Al Humaidi, has become synonymous with allegations of fraud, bankruptcy, convoluted corporate structures and shareholdings, and litigation. As the Football Finance Bill wends its way through Parliament, with the central plank being the creation of an official regulator, Ebbsfleet acts as a case study for why an independent watchdog, one with the ability to conduct due diligence and rigorous testing before granting permission for a change of owner, is necessary. It also casts a spotlight on the uncanny ability of some folk to seemingly never disappear, to repeatedly rebound from apparently ruinous financial adversity with another grand scheme so dazzling that investors are seemingly willing to ignore a history of failure. Off the field, Ebbsfleet's fortunes are bound to Mr Al Humaidi and his family. The Kuwaiti businessman, 39, bought the club through his company KEH Sports in 2013. KEH Sports belongs to Kuwaiti European Holding Company (KEHC UK), according to the company's accounts. This company, in turn, is owned by Kuwaiti European Holding Company KSC (Kuwait), of which Mr Al Humaidi has a majority shareholding and his family still owns. He said he wanted Ebbsfleet to join the big time, to gain promotion to the senior leagues, with the intention to use that success to boost the area economically. In happier days, the local area did once appear destined for a boom. Ebbsfleet was the site chosen for a stop on the Eurostar from London to Paris. However, the cross-Channel rail service quit using Ebbsfleet International, as the station was known, in 2020. The club has faced turbulent times under its Kuwaiti leadership. Mr Al Humaidi faced financial issues at the club and issues with staff at Ebbsfleet, allegedly not paying the players wages on time over a year-long period as well as, they claimed, failing to provide correct medical insurance for the team. This led to players refusing to warm up and issuing a public statement to the fans. Ebbsfleet denied the claims. Apparently in punishment for the players going public, Mr Al Humaidi allegedly refused to pay one set of salaries and put all the players on the summer transfer list. Ebbsfleet was then subjected to a transfer embargo for not paying a tax bill. The football club was just one aspect, albeit a central one of Mr Al Humaidi's supremely confident vision. Now, instead of using the team's success to boost the district, he is hoping that development can salvage the fortunes of a fast-sinking club. In its vaulting scope, the Northfleet Harbourside development has a familiar ring, echoing another local scheme that became a by-word for failure. The Dublin medical graduate (he did not pursue a long career as a doctor, choosing instead to manage the family investment firm, Kuwaiti European Holding) also had designs on opening a theme park. Nicknamed "Dartford Disneyland" in relation to its location on a spur between Dartford and Gravesend, the London Resort, as it was officially and immodestly titled, was to be built by London Resort Company Holdings, ultimately controlled by Mr Al Humaidi. He would link up with Paramount, the major Hollywood studio, and the rides were to have a film and TV flavour, with tie-ins to TV favourites Dr Who and Thunderbirds. The £3.5 billion ($4.73 billion) attraction would draw an estimated 12 million visitors a year and create 30,000 jobs. The government was suitably impressed, even calling it a project of "national importance". At one stage, PY Gerbeau, the man charged with saving the Millennium Dome exhibition in 2000, was drafted in as chief executive, with former Tory minister Stephen Norris also involved. The London Resort's opening was set for 2024. Except it did not happen; Dartford Disneyland never materialised. Rows about funding and a requirement to protect a rare type of spider that lived on the site sparked delays. Having racked up debts of more than £100 million and received many millions from investors, including £5 million from the British taxpayer, London Resort collapsed into insolvency and Mr Al Humaidi was declared bankrupt in November 2023. That was not the end of it or him, however. Mr Al Humaidi is not someone to take "no" for an answer, as he tried to salvage the scheme. That only ceased when Paramount, which is owed £13.5 million, took legal action, accusing London Resort Company Holdings of trying to rush through a company voluntary arrangement, or CVA, under which companies are saved by their creditors. In the High Court, Judge Sally Barber found three "serious and irremediable breaches of the terms" of the CVA, saying London Resort Company Holdings failed to supply sufficient evidence of the debts of £105 million on which it was supposedly pinning the rescue agreement. There was claimed to be extra capital of £607 million due, but that was not forthcoming. Ms Barber noted that Mr Al Humaidi "continued to play a very active role in the company", even after his bankruptcy. In English corporate law, undischarged bankrupts are forbidden to take part in the running of a company without court permission. The story gets no happier in Kuwait, where Mr Al Humaidi has repeatedly been sued by investors and others to whom he owes substantial amounts of. A recent judgment in Kuwait found him guilty of fraud and sentenced him in absentia to three years in prison, with the judgment itself stating that al-Humaidi's investment firm had 'been subject to many fraudulent cases [and] carried out money laundering operations.' The new development at Northfleet is declared to be the brainchild of an Irish company called Landmarque Property. Landmarque is in turn owned by a UK company, Sierra Investments, which was one of Abdulla Al Humaidi's concerns until his bankruptcy, upon which his brother Dherar took charge. Dherar is a shareholder in Sierra, as is Hessa, mother of Dherar and Abdulla. It was a similar story at Ebbsfleet United. On his bankruptcy, he resigned as chairman and appointed his cousin, Abdullah Aaaf Al Humaidi, as chairman. and Dherar and another cousin, Abdulrahman Al Humaidi, as directors. Ebbsfleet United is proclaiming Northfleet Harbourside as a joint proposal between the football club and Landmarque – both of which are ultimately owned by Abdulla Al Humaidi. The operator of the new stadium will be Northfleet Harbourside Holding Company, which is owned by KEHC UK. Mr Al Humaidi is denying he was ever the dominant force at Ebbsfleet United. Incredibly, and despite his own actions as owner of the club, he now claims that official Companies House filings indicating such were wrong – and that the people who submitted the documents made a mistake, as his holding was only 29 per cent not the 50-plus per cent as they said. He says Dartford Disneyland "destroyed my life" and "ruined my reputation". He has won appeals against legal cases in Kuwait bar the one resulting in the three-year sentence, which he will also fight and he claims was due to a misunderstanding. He may be bankrupt but he continues to live in Mayfair. Northfleet Harbourside is testament to his remarkable powers of recovery. The local council and the football club's supporters, who of course would love a brand-new ground, have given their approval. There is, though, plenty of opposition, particularly from local businessmen whose livelihoods depend on access to the Thames. The planning inquiry, which is expected to last well until June, will represent yet another attempt to get to the bottom of Mr Al Humaidi's affairs. Whether this saga will finish once and for all remains to be seen. Every occasion Mr Al Humaidi appears finished, he manages to bounce back with another eye-catching blueprint. Alas, the same could not be said for Ebbsfleet United, not this season. The numbers – witness that goal difference – tell their own sad story.
The National
2 hours ago
- The National
Football minnows bound to controversial Kuwaiti owners hit rock bottom
The football season in England is over. Among the losers is Ebbsfleet United. The professional North Kent, Thames Estuary club finished rock bottom of the National League, the fifth tier of the football pyramid, with 22 points from 46 games, managing just three wins and racking up a goal difference of minus 60. Down to the next tier Ebbsfleet goes. Incredibly, despite it all, Ebbsfleet – which in 2008 was the first Kent club to win the FA Trophy – still attracts about an average of 1,450 hardy souls to each home game. Ebbsfleet may be down, but "the Fleet" is not a club without soaring ambition. Last month, a public inquiry began into plans backed by the club for an 8,000-capacity stadium by the Thames. The surrounding Northfleet Harbourside development also includes 3,500 homes, a hotel, offices and retail space. For those who follow the club's fortunes and indeed the wider subject of football ownership, the planning application elicited a feeling of deja vu. Ebbsfleet's owner until recently, and ultimate backer of the Northfleet Harbourside development, Abdulla Al Humaidi, has become synonymous with allegations of fraud, bankruptcy, convoluted corporate structures and shareholdings, and litigation. As the Football Finance Bill wends its way through Parliament, with the central plank being the creation of an official regulator, Ebbsfleet acts as a case study for why an independent watchdog, one with the ability to conduct due diligence and rigorous testing before granting permission for a change of owner, is necessary. It also casts a spotlight on the uncanny ability of some folk to seemingly never disappear, to repeatedly rebound from apparently ruinous financial adversity with another grand scheme so dazzling that investors are seemingly willing to ignore a history of failure. Off the field, Ebbsfleet's fortunes are bound to Mr Al Humaidi and his family. The Kuwaiti businessman, 39, bought the club through his company KEH Sports in 2013. KEH Sports belongs to Kuwaiti European Holding Company (KEHC UK), according to the company's accounts. This company, in turn, is owned by Kuwaiti European Holding Company KSC (Kuwait), of which Mr Al Humaidi has a majority shareholding and his family still owns. He said he wanted Ebbsfleet to join the big time, to gain promotion to the senior leagues, with the intention to use that success to boost the area economically. In happier days, the local area did once appear destined for a boom. Ebbsfleet was the site chosen for a stop on the Eurostar from London to Paris. However, the cross-Channel rail service quit using Ebbsfleet International, as the station was known, in 2020. The club has faced turbulent times under its Kuwaiti leadership. Mr Al Humaidi faced financial issues at the club and issues with staff at Ebbsfleet, allegedly not paying the players wages on time over a year-long period as well as, they claimed, failing to provide correct medical insurance for the team. This led to players refusing to warm up and issuing a public statement to the fans. Ebbsfleet denied the claims. Apparently in punishment for the players going public, Mr Al Humaidi allegedly refused to pay one set of salaries and put all the players on the summer transfer list. Ebbsfleet was then subjected to a transfer embargo for not paying a tax bill. The football club was just one aspect, albeit a central one of Mr Al Humaidi's supremely confident vision. Now, instead of using the team's success to boost the district, he is hoping that development can salvage the fortunes of a fast-sinking club. In its vaulting scope, the Northfleet Harbourside development has a familiar ring, echoing another local scheme that became a by-word for failure. The Dublin medical graduate (he did not pursue a long career as a doctor, choosing instead to manage the family investment firm, Kuwaiti European Holding) also had designs on opening a theme park. Nicknamed "Dartford Disneyland" in relation to its location on a spur between Dartford and Gravesend, the London Resort, as it was officially and immodestly titled, was to be built by London Resort Company Holdings, ultimately controlled by Mr Al Humaidi. He would link up with Paramount, the major Hollywood studio, and the rides were to have a film and TV flavour, with tie-ins to TV favourites Dr Who and Thunderbirds. The £3.5 billion ($4.73 billion) attraction would draw an estimated 12 million visitors a year and create 30,000 jobs. The government was suitably impressed, even calling it a project of "national importance". At one stage, PY Gerbeau, the man charged with saving the Millennium Dome exhibition in 2000, was drafted in as chief executive, with former Tory minister Stephen Norris also involved. The London Resort's opening was set for 2024. Except it did not happen; Dartford Disneyland never materialised. Rows about funding and a requirement to protect a rare type of spider that lived on the site sparked delays. Having racked up debts of more than £100 million and received many millions from investors, including £5 million from the British taxpayer, London Resort collapsed into insolvency and Mr Al Humaidi was declared bankrupt in November 2023. That was not the end of it or him, however. Mr Al Humaidi is not someone to take "no" for an answer, as he tried to salvage the scheme. That only ceased when Paramount, which is owed £13.5 million, took legal action, accusing London Resort Company Holdings of trying to rush through a company voluntary arrangement, or CVA, under which companies are saved by their creditors. In the High Court, Judge Sally Barber found three "serious and irremediable breaches of the terms" of the CVA, saying London Resort Company Holdings failed to supply sufficient evidence of the debts of £105 million on which it was supposedly pinning the rescue agreement. There was claimed to be extra capital of £607 million due, but that was not forthcoming. Ms Barber noted that Mr Al Humaidi "continued to play a very active role in the company", even after his bankruptcy. In English corporate law, undischarged bankrupts are forbidden to take part in the running of a company without court permission. The story gets no happier in Kuwait, where Mr Al Humaidi has repeatedly been sued by investors and others to whom he owes substantial amounts of. A recent judgment in Kuwait found him guilty of fraud and sentenced him in absentia to three years in prison, with the judgment itself stating that al-Humaidi's investment firm had 'been subject to many fraudulent cases [and] carried out money laundering operations.' The new development at Northfleet is declared to be the brainchild of an Irish company called Landmarque Property. Landmarque is in turn owned by a UK company, Sierra Investments, which was one of Abdulla Al Humaidi's concerns until his bankruptcy, upon which his brother Dherar took charge. Dherar is a shareholder in Sierra, as is Hessa, mother of Dherar and Abdulla. It was a similar story at Ebbsfleet United. On his bankruptcy, he resigned as chairman and appointed his cousin, Abdullah Aaaf Al Humaidi, as chairman. and Dherar and another cousin, Abdulrahman Al Humaidi, as directors. Ebbsfleet United is proclaiming Northfleet Harbourside as a joint proposal between the football club and Landmarque – both of which are ultimately owned by Abdulla Al Humaidi. The operator of the new stadium will be Northfleet Harbourside Holding Company, which is owned by KEHC UK. Mr Al Humaidi is denying he was ever the dominant force at Ebbsfleet United. Incredibly, and despite his own actions as owner of the club, he now claims that official Companies House filings indicating such were wrong – and that the people who submitted the documents made a mistake, as his holding was only 29 per cent not the 50-plus per cent as they said. He says Dartford Disneyland "destroyed my life" and "ruined my reputation". He has won appeals against legal cases in Kuwait bar the one resulting in the three-year sentence, which he will also fight and he claims was due to a misunderstanding. He may be bankrupt but he continues to live in Mayfair. Northfleet Harbourside is testament to his remarkable powers of recovery. The local council and the football club's supporters, who of course would love a brand-new ground, have given their approval. There is, though, plenty of opposition, particularly from local businessmen whose livelihoods depend on access to the Thames. The planning inquiry, which is expected to last well until June, will represent yet another attempt to get to the bottom of Mr Al Humaidi's affairs. Whether this saga will finish once and for all remains to be seen. Every occasion Mr Al Humaidi appears finished, he manages to bounce back with another eye-catching blueprint. Alas, the same could not be said for Ebbsfleet United, not this season. The numbers – witness that goal difference – tell their own sad story.
The National
3 hours ago
- The National
Ask Mina: Postecoglou's unceremonious exit and is Jobe the next Jude Bellingham
Q: How on earth did Tottenham Hotspur think sacking Ange Postecoglou is the correct decision? @Zee107 A: I wish I could say I was surprised – sacked just 16 days after ending a 41-year European trophy drought! It was a unanimous decision by the Tottenham board, who felt the coach ought to have better managed the side across all competitions. Finishing 17th in the Premier League with 22 losses – a record in a 38-game season – was seen as a dismal return given the quality of the squad. It's taken a toll on the club's finances, too. At times, there was an unwillingness on Postecoglou's part to adjust his tactics. Antonio Conte at Napoli had to cope with so many absences and yet he constantly changed formations and tactics to achieve points. I understand the comparison isn't entirely fair given the differences between the two leagues, but the drop in defensive solidity and the disjointed attack was, at times, painfully difficult to watch. In defence of Postecoglou, I understand the decision to prioritise the Europa League. A trophy was what the fans coveted and a change in mentality was required. Winning begets winning and it reinforces confidence. There was genuine hope that after winning the Europa League, the players could push on and, with the right investments, aim for much more next season. Winning a trophy ought to result in more time to build something, but the Spurs board obviously felt differently. Q: Should there be a cap on salaries in football or sport? @ via Instagram A: Many American sports, like the NFL and NBA, already have salary caps in place to preserve competitiveness and unpredictability. Similarly, Formula One has introduced a budget cap to limit how much each team can spend on car development. Salaries in football are out of control, and the money spent on agents and third parties is shameful. At its core, football is a working-class sport. Yet despite the explosion in revenue, fans are increasingly being priced out. While rising ticket costs aren't solely the result of inflated player salaries, the game has undeniably drifted out of touch with the very people who made it what it is. Today, many can barely afford to watch their local club – an indictment of a sport losing touch with its roots. In 2020, a study found that the total wage bill for Premier League clubs in 2018/19 was just over £3 billion. By the start of the 2020/21 season, wages had increased by 2,811%. According to The Swiss Ramble, Premier League wages hit an all-time high of £4 billion during the 2023/24 season. Taking the Uefa Champions League final as an example, Paris Saint-Germain were commended for finally building a team that was 'without a star' and yet they still spent €600 million in two years to build that squad. The total gross salaries paid for the 2024/25 season was around €196 million or €3.7m per week, not including bonuses. Ousmane Dembele is on roughly €346,000 a week, according to reports. A salary cap would ensure smaller clubs are innovative and well managed. If clubs are not so obsessed with buying the best players perhaps they would pay more attention to developing home-grown talents. However, the argument against, in Europe at least, is that a strict salary cap could violate EU Labour laws. Players have the right to negotiate in a free market. You could also argue that if salary caps are to be introduced, they must be applied globally to ensure true parity. American sports can enforce such rules because they are largely confined to one country. Football, however, is a global game – which makes enforcement more complex. Still, it's a challenge worth exploring. Q: Is Jobe Bellingham the next Jude Bellingham? @banabbou via Instagram A: Borussia Dortmund certainly think he's got great potential. The German club that once was home to his brother, Jude, has now agreed a deal with Sunderland for Jobe. Dortmund's opening gambit of €20m was quickly rebuffed, forcing the German club to come back with an improved €33m bid, which was accepted. If the various add-ons are triggered, Jobe will become BVB's record signing. The fact they raised their bid so significantly suggests their complete faith in his abilities and potential. Tall, tough, and tidy on the ball, Jobe can slot into just about any midfield role. He wins duels like it's a hobby, carries the ball with confidence, and knows how to pick a smart pass. He's got that 'Swiss army knife' energy in midfield. But at only age 19, he's still developing. He can lose his positioning at times, and his performances aren't always consistent. But he's young, and with more game time and experience, those areas should naturally improve. Former Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti once joked with Jude that they bought the wrong Bellingham. Hopefully Borussia Dortmund will give him the platform to keep growing as a player. Q: Are you a fan of Cristiano Ronaldo? Just won the Nations League and still the best? @Edil_Antonio via Instagram A: Who isn't a fan of the best players in the world? There is constant criticism aimed at the player deemed too old and selfish to still be playing international football. Some concerns are valid, especially the ones suggesting that his presence stops the team from aggressively closing down opponents. However, against Spain, Portugal showed that they can control the best team in Europe, and Ronaldo was their leader. Personally, I'm a fan and still watch Portugal to see how he fares. There is this beautiful image from their previous match against Germany. Francisco Conceicao scored the first goal and Ronaldo got the second. Go back and watch how Conceicao hugged him, clinging to him. It was such a powerful image as it demonstrated how deeply respected Ronaldo is by his teammates. His mentality, his important goals and his efficacy still make the difference. Of course, we all want to look to youth, to help nurture the next generation, but you can never underestimate experience and leadership. The team should not be building around him for the World Cup next year only because he is unlikely to feature in every game. But what Ronaldo brings to the team is infinitely greater than what he takes away. Q: Should Nuno Mendes not be one of the favourites for the Ballon d'Or? Best full-back? HabuNahl via X A: What an incredible season for Mendes. I was aggrieved that Achraf Hakimi was not generating enough Ballon d'Or buzz, considering his performances for PSG and Morocco, but I was wrong not to mention Mendes as he ought be one of the favourites for the award. Man of the match in the Uefa Nations League final for Portugal against Spain, he not only shut down Lamine Yamal but he scored the opener and delivered the assist for Ronaldo's equaliser. His year just keeps getting better. PSG won the Uefa Champions League largely because they boasted the two best full-backs in the world. Mendes was incredible in the big games. He outpowered Mohamed Salah against Liverpool in the last 16, quietened Arsenal's Bukayo Saka in the semi-final and was imperious against Inter in the final. Tactically astute, dominant when pressing opponents, and technically superb, he dazzles with his ability to glide past defenders and manoeuvre in tight spaces. Mendes is modest, too. When asked about the Ballon d'Or, he nominated teammate Dembele. Both for club and country, Mendes has proved clutch on all the big occasions. He is without a doubt, the best left-back in the world.
