The run-in to this season's Premiership programme is proving to be the most manipulated in the short history of England's prime tournament. The competition is effectively being run primarily for the benefit of the bookmakers as betting turnover is significantly increased by a televised close title race. There are several levels that this manipulation exists upon and we look at a few of the key corruptions in the finale below.
1) The input of the Professional Game Match Official Board (PGMOB) is becoming ludicrous and these faceless manipulators have significant control of Premiership outcomes along with the input of a number of insiders in management and on the playing field (for historical post on PGMOB abuses of power, see: http://footballisfixed.blogspot.com/2007/03/pgmob-market-manipulator.html). Despite the controversial nature of many of the decisions during the game, the initial choice of referee is proving critical. Throughout the season, the selective and repeated changing of referees in the light of betting patterns and/or results earlier in the window of games have become a blight on the game. As we reported in the post above, the number of referee changes in the Premiership is 20 times greater than in the other main European leagues and particularly focuses on the high betting turnover televised games. Obviously referees are much more likely to fall ill prior to a television appearance! Let's just observe Wednesday's and Saturday's Premiership matches:
West Ham United v Chelsea (TV) - Riley replaced by Dean;
Blackburn Rovers v Watford - Dean replaced by Foy;
Manchester United v Middlesboro' (TV) - Foy replaced by Walton.
Eleven matches and three changes of referee. In each of these events, from a market analytical viewpoint, the alteration of official entirely altered the assessment of the game. This manipulation was particularly marked in the two televised Premiership title race games. This corruption is critical. It matters to the teams involved in the title race, it severely disrupts the global betting markets and, most importantly, it's a complete rip-off to people who are paying their own good money to be fooled by theatrical spectacular society nonsense.
2) All other major leagues in Europe insist on concurrent games to avoid any teams gaining advantage in a competition. The Premiership puts television, betting turnover, advertising and their own manipulative control ahead of considerations like fairness and justice and competitive validity. Obviously there is a marked benefit in playing later than one's competitor. Since March 3rd, Chelsea have played second in all but one weekend - the only blip being when they were provided with an outrageous advantage in playing Spurs 36 hours after Sevilla and Semana Santa. And it continues. Despite concurrent kick off times in two of the last three rounds of games, Chelsea will enjoy a further advantage on the weekend of the Manchester derby. In total, Chelsea will have played later in 6 out of 9 windows with two concurrent. We are not convinced that the purpose of this flagrant manipulation is to hand Chelsea the title but rather we believe that it relates to maintaining a close title race for the benefit of all capitalists who leech off the game. The PGMOB, Sky, the Premiership and certain insiders have a hidden agenda to ensure a certain structure for the final round of games. It is for this reason that there is a further delay in Chelsea's favour following the Man City v Man Utd game because this is a volatile match where pride trumps the potential for external corruption. It is worthy of note that the same manipulations are occurring at the relegation end of the Premiership.
3) Rio Ferdinand has, through a mixture of unprofessionalism and "injury", cost Manchester United five points since the disappearance of Vidic. His slow reaction allowing Portsmouth's first goal followed by his hilarious own goal to prick United's late game surge were superceded by his walking wounded absenteeism for Viduka's equaliser yesterday. We have posted previously that there is a possible corrupt structure in place here. Ferdinand's agent is Pini Zahavi. Zahavi has very close links with three Premiership teams - Chelsea, Portsmouth and Middlesboro. But with Chelsea in particular... Chelsea also enjoy a certain chumminess with Portsmouth due to both Russian ownership and the Redknapp-Lampard link. Once United had beaten Blackburn, there were two possible games that might undermine United's six point advantage - namely, Portsmouth and Boro. Analytically, the fitness exhibited by some Pompey and Boro players in these two matches was statistically significant ie they were "on" something. Zahavi and Abramovich and Gaydamek (owner of Portsmouth) have considerable business interests in Israel and have contacts who are closely linked to the betting markets in Moscow. And guess what, it was those self same Moscow markets that priced these two events most professionally in the marketplace. This is not an attempt at a legal proof of corruption (we'll hold back on that for publication at a later date or for court!) but we do not understand why Ferguson would choose to have Ferdinand in his side in the light of this structure. Would Mourinho allow a player represented by the Elite Sports Agency (set up by Ferguson's son) appear in his team at this key stage of the season? Absolutely not!! Of course, Ferdinand might be just a moderate/poor defender but his involvement in the farce that was England's agreed draw in Israel shows that the man is an operator (see: http://footballisfixed.blogspot.com/2007/03/betting-coalition-of-willing.html).
Three points in conclusion.
Dietrological make money from this corruption through our market analysis - we are achieving over 90% success rate on Premiership games since the Chinese New Year window. We would rather make our living out of analysing truly competitive matches rather than the 2:30 at Ascot sort of events that are actually in existence.
And there has to be considerable concern at United over their defence. The Boro game was the first time the back five have been tested since Portsmouth and, but for the private agenda of Walton, the visitors would have snatched victory with a late penalty for O'Shea's foul.
And, finally, there is a masonic grouping of people who are involved in this manipulation and corruption - individuals within BSkyB, the PGMOB, Football DataCo, the Premier League, some large bookmaking organisations and the media are treating the game with contempt. And they are untouchable. No institution, mainstream media outlet, regulatory body or government department has any interest in disrupting a corrupt structure which is, after all, very rewarding to all concerned.
