Osborne Pledges £50M To Make English Football 'best In The World'

[zugzwang]

What's a little indulgence when you've balanced the budget.

George Osborne pledges £50m to make England football team 'best in the world' Chancellor unveils new funds at opening of new Manchester City football academy

George Osborne has pledged £50m of Government funding to promote grass-roots football, in a move he said would make England's national team "the best in the world".

The Chancellor unveiled the funds as he hailed Abu Dhabi's commitment to investing in the UK at the opening of a new £150m football academy by Manchester City Football Club.

He said the decision of the leading Abu Dhabi royal Sheikh Mansour to invest in the city ahead of other destinations was a "massive vote of confidence in the UK".

The Government funding will go to provide more all-weather pitches and national coaching.

"I want to make sure we have the very best national team in the world," Mr Osborne told the audience.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/economics/11280155/George-Osborne-pledges-50m-to-make-England-football-team-best-in-the-world.html

[lid]

£50m wouldn't buy Messi's left bollock

[Executive Sadman]

Why?

Its like communist nations. Sure we lock up millions of people for 'thought crimes' Sure we have leaky power stations, 10 year waiting lists for Ladas and half a dozen families sharing one kitchen.

But look at our female shotputters. Best in the world. Arent we great.

All despotic nations seem obsessed with sport. Guess it removes peoples attention from actual issues.

[stormymonday_2011]

One school playing field is being sold off every three weeks under the Coalition, new figures show.

Statistics released by the Department for Education on Friday show that 57 playing fields have been sold off since May 2010 - which works out at around one every three weeks.

The rate appears to be quickening with 14 sold off in the first year of the Coalition, falling to 12 and then rising to 19 in the year to the end of April this year. In the six months from May to October this year 12 playing fields were sold off – the same as were sold in the year to April 2012.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/keep-the-flame-alive/10516870/One-school-playing-field-sold-off-every-three-weeks-since-Coalition-was-formed.html

More pointless b*llocks from Osborne

[Wurzel Of Highbridge]

What the feck has government got to do with football? More income from a football tax?

[rollover]

[Dorkins]

Osborne is the living embodiment of the principle-free do-anything-to-get-elected politician.

[interestrateripoff]

Considering what's paid for the TV rights for football the government only need to impose a levy/tax on said transactions to fund this.

However this is just utter b011ocks of the lowest common denominator.

[erat_forte]

Is this from the English national budget, or from the UK budget? Is it to be used equally to support mens football, womens football and androgynous/mixed/trans/third-gender football?

[Bruce Banner]

Osborne is the living embodiment of the principle-free do-anything-to-get-elected politician.

On that we are in complete agreement.

[billybong]

The Government funding will go to provide more all-weather pitches and national coaching.

Of course £50 million is better than nothing but with land prices being what they are what will it actually buy.

Maybe 1/6th of a medium size soccer stadium including 1/6th of a pitch - and what will they charge to use it. Ok you could buy a bit more pitch if you do away with luxury changing facilities and seating etc - so back to Nissan hut changing rooms.

It's better than nothing but "make English football the best in the world" and what about all the other sports.

No it's not worth wasting a single vote on those time wasters. Apart from anything else they'll find a way to renege on it after the election.

[Trampa501]

We can't provide affordable housing, we can't produce jobs that pay enough to pay basic living bills, but we can afford gimmicks like this.

Still, we can look forward to a football team able to win in Qatar in 2022?

[renting til I die]

Why?

Its like communist nations. Sure we lock up millions of people for 'thought crimes' Sure we have leaky power stations, 10 year waiting lists for Ladas and half a dozen families sharing one kitchen.

But look at our female shotputters. Best in the world. Arent we great.

All despotic nations seem obsessed with sport. Guess it removes peoples attention from actual issues.

I agree, I don't really watch any sport nowadays and I don't support any teams. The last time I watched any sport (in a pub), I couldn't really understand why people got so excited. I did use to enjoy watching sports but can't remember what I thought was good about it now! I must be getting old!

Actually, I think it is more the case that I rather be trying to doing something myself, sport or otherwise, then watching someone else doing it!

[frozen_out]

Why?

Its like communist nations. Sure we lock up millions of people for 'thought crimes' Sure we have leaky power stations, 10 year waiting lists for Ladas and half a dozen families sharing one kitchen.

But look at our female shotputters. Best in the world. Arent we great.

All despotic nations seem obsessed with sport. Guess it removes peoples attention from actual issues.

This has crossed my mind once or twice since the London Olympics. Success at the Olympics tends to go to countries that are slightly unhinged in some way i.e. US, China and USSR/Russia. That's probably not a club we want to be part of.

[THE BALD MAN]

Of course £50 million is better than nothing but with land prices being what they are what will it actually buy.

Maybe 1/6th of a medium size soccer stadium including 1/6th of a pitch - and what will they charge to use it. Ok you could buy a bit more pitch if you do away with luxury changing facilities and seating etc - so back to Nissan hut changing rooms.

It's better than nothing but "make English football the best in the world" and what about all the other sports.

No it's not worth wasting a single vote on those time wasters. Apart from anything else they'll find a way to renege on it after the election.

. Should be paid for by sport itself rather than wasting paying agents and talentless prima donnas

[Eddie_George]

Is this to bribe FIFA officials?

[billybong]

Not to forget East Germany's sporting emphasis before East Germany was absorbed by West Germany.

[billybong]

Maybe they're thinking they'll demolish a few more houses to make way for the pitches. A boost to house prices at the same time - next budget announcement?

Mind you investment in decent and accessible sports facilities available to the general public (NOT like Mr Osborne's belated and opportunistic bread and circuses and dare one say populist effort of £50 million for footie) is long overdue around the UK.

[zugzwang]

Off me head, son.

[stormymonday_2011]

Off me head, son.

This is what he was actually seeing

[OnionTerror]

Maybe they're thinking they'll demolish a few more houses to make way for the pitches. A boost to house prices at the same time - next budget announcement?

Mind you investment in decent and accessible sports facilities available to the general public (not like Mr Osborne's belated and opportunistic bread and circuses effort of £50 million for footie) is long overdue around the UK.

He makes this statement, whereas previous governments throughout the years have done their upmost in selling off school sports pitches..

[stormymonday_2011]

He makes this statement, whereas previous governments throughout the years have done their upmost in selling off school sports pitches..

Not just previous governments.

Gove is probably the most anti-sport Education Minister in my life time.

http://www.theguardian.com/education/2010/nov/20/michael-gove-schools-sport-funding

Even many Tories think some of his policies in that area are a disaster

http://www.conservativehome.com/the-deep-end/2014/02/message-to-michael-gove-sport-should-not-be-a-punishment.html

To be fair to Osborne his announcement today is part of a discreet U turn that the government has take on on this matter which is probably a sign that Gove is on his way out.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-26049332

[OnionTerror]

Not just previous governments.

Gove is probably the most anti-sport Education Minister in my life time.

http://www.theguardian.com/education/2010/nov/20/michael-gove-schools-sport-funding

Even many Tories think some of his policies in that area are a disaster

http://www.conservativehome.com/the-deep-end/2014/02/message-to-michael-gove-sport-should-not-be-a-punishment.html

The hysteria over "paedogeddon" also certainly doesn't help things...I remember going up my local rec and kicking a ball about with my mates during school holidays...do parent's allow their little darlings to do the same nowadays? Of course not..

[zugzwang]

He makes this statement, whereas previous governments throughout the years have done their upmost in selling off school sports pitches..

It's not a question of guns or butter. Gidiot wants us to believe we can have guns and butter. Guns and butter and World Cups and flights to the Moon...

Except when you read the same prospectus after the election and discover none of it was actually costed or even remotely practicable and won't be happening after all.

[THE BALD MAN]

Is this to bribe FIFA officials?

Not enough for those leeches!