DO you want to know your credit rating?
We’ve all been asked that question often online.
The short answer is ‘No’; the longer one ‘No, just give me the money’.
However, in the world of sporting punditry, it is long overdue for a ‘Credibility rating’ to be calculated.
Newcastle and Aston Villa in hunt for Nicolas Jackson moveTuesday’s briefing: Rio Ngumoha’s ‘dream debut’ and crunch time for Celtic
Last season, of 30 BBC Football pundits, not a single one predicted that Liverpool would win the league.
That, though, says more about Arne Slot’s achievement than it does about poor judgment.
The poor judgment relates to where some of them thought Liverpool would finish.
Steve Sidwell, Leon Osman, and Pat Nevin all said the Reds wouldn’t even make the top four.
That’s former Chelsea man Sidwell, former Evertonian Osman, and Nevin – who played for both those clubs.
Osman had Spurs to finish fourth (as did nine others – NINE!). Jermaine Beckford envisaged Tottenham getting third.
Spurs ended up 17th. SEVENTEENTH (although they did, of course, win the Europa League).
Five of the BBC pundits had Man Utd finishing in the top four; sorry, six: Sidwell tipped the Red Devils to finish second. I kid you not.
Steve Sidwell is running the London Marathon
Steve Sidwell tipped Manchester United to finish second last season.(Zac Goodwin/PA)
How he continues to be deployed is remarkable. This year, in good news for the others, he’s gone for Liverpool.
Of course, no one expected Man Utd to be quite as bad as they were last season, but no one sane should have suggested that they would finish second.
Last summer, Manchester City were four-in-a-row champions, Arsenal had finished runners-up for the second consecutive season, and Liverpool’s title challenge had been blighted by injuries.
There was no reason to believe Manchester United could or would end up above two of those teams.
Or even above one of them.
Neville is a successful pundit and businessman
Neville is a successful pundit and businessman(John Walton/PA)
Gary Neville of Sky Sports was almost as bad. The former England and Manchester United defender has undoubted skills as a broadcaster – but he’s also an absolute embarrassment in relation to Manchester United.
Last season he tipped them to finish third. Liverpool? Fifth.
If it were any other club he’d accept that the Reds were better than his beloved Red Devils, but his ingrained hatred of Liverpool completely clouds his judgment.
His sidekick Jamie Carragher had Liverpool to be third (fair enough prediction) and Man Utd fifth.
Just like the streets, though, the internet doesn’t forget.
This summer the BBC asked 33 pundits, plus AI (so-called Artificial Intelligence, i.e. machine learning), and Opta’s ‘Super-Computer’ for their title/ top four predictions.
FWIW, AI has gone for Man City, Opta for Liverpool.
All of them had that quartet of Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, and Chelsea – last season’s top four – finishing in the old Champions League places again.
Not one other club was named as a top four contender.
Cue Gary Neville.
I’ll never forget Gnev and Roy Keane tittering like seven-year-olds after someone said the word ‘fart’ when Graeme Souness predicted a Liverpool victory at Anfield over their team.
Final scoreline? Liverpool 7 Manchester United 0.
Manchester United have suffered heavy defeats on recent visits to Anfield, losing 7-0 in March 2023
Manchester United have suffered heavy defeats on recent visits to Anfield, losing 7-0 in March 2023(Peter Byrne/PA)
You’d really think Neville would learn some humility about his club, but he continues to have ridiculous expectations about them.
This season, the Premier League title will be contested between Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City, and Chelsea.
Neville, however, has tipped Manchester United to finish fourth.
I have one question: why?
And another one: how?
Just one more: WTAF?!
I genuinely believe Arsenal will end their 22-year title drought because they have the deepest squad and the most settled starting team.
Liverpool will be great going forward but less secure defensively than the Gunners; however, that should be enough to beat most teams.
Eberechi Eze was presented to the Emirates crowd prior to kick-off on Saturday
Eberechi Eze was presented to the Emirates crowd prior to kick-off on Saturday(John Walton/PA)
Pep Guardiola is re-building his side and they will take some time to gel but there’s plenty of quality in their ranks, especially in attack.
Chelsea have an array of exciting young talent, but perhaps they lack enough experience – and they now have to contend with Champions League involvement, unlike last season.
Tottenham Hotspur could push for a top five slot, with Thomas Frank bringing defensive organisation and tactical awareness, although Champions League will again stretch their squad.
Aston Villa found that to their cost last term, and Newcastle United will too this time around, plus both those clubs are limited in their spending by the PSR rules (another column, another day – you know the drill).
The thing is, I still expect all seven of those clubs to finish above Manchester United.
Neville reckons they’ll be above Chelsea, though – and everyone else except Arsenal, Liverpool, and Man City.
Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim was appointed last November
Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim was appointed last November(Adam Davy/PA)
Even with no European football to distract them, Ruben Amorim’s team remains deeply flawed.
They’ve spent £200m on attackers to address their lack of goals and all three signings – Cunha, Mbuemo, and Sesko - are very good players.
But should they have splurged so much on one department of the team?
Clearly, they need a better goalkeeper, and they’re also crying out for more ‘legs’ in central midfield.
Casemiro is over-the-hill, Ugarte not as good as anticipated, Mainoo has no pace, and – I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again – captain Bruno Fernandes does not fit his manager’s preferred system.
You never know, but targeting Brighton’s Carlos Baleba this summer, and talking about signing Adam Wharton from Crystal Palace, seems Nevillesque wishful thinking.
Their part-owner Jim Ratcliffe slashed spending around the club, but even that tone-deaf cost-cutting won’t bring in the massive money needed to raise the Red Devils to another level.
There’s also the much-needed re-build of Old Trafford to factor into the balance sheet.
Baleba and Wharton will certainly not come cheap, and they should see themselves as capable of playing in the Champions League.
If Manchester United don’t achieve a top five finish this season – and colour me stunned if they do – their finances will not look pretty next summer.
The Old Trafford club’s credit rating will come under serious scrutiny at that stage, as well as Gary Neville’s credibility.