Footballers Life Magazine Issue 11

Footballers’ Life Magazine

Issue 11

B u s i ne s s

•

A dv ic e

&

Lux ury

w w w. f o o t b a lle r s lif e.c o m I n s t a : @ f o o t b a l le r s lif e ma ga z in e

Lifes tyle

Ronaldo Harry Kane

Ivan Rakitic Women’s World Cup

Advice • Talk to the Players • Cars • Fashion • Gadgets • Watches & Jewellery • Property • Travel • Health

c o n t r i b u t o r s

Contributors Marcio Quintela

Adrian Kajumba

Chief Stylist - Louis Vuitton

Journalist

Daniel Geey

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Fraser Reid

Partner Sheridan’s Lawyers

Partner - Level Law

Deborah Arthurs

Max Nilov

Lifestyle Director

Art Advisor

Duncan Swift

Duncan Wright

Partner - Moore Stephens

Journalist

Chris Paget

Alex Harvey

Sports Lawyer

Sports Lawyer

Lewis Marsden Journalist

Ray James Head of Operations iSportsconnect

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i n t r o d u c t i o n

Welcome to the 11th edition of Footballers’ Life Magazine

And welcome to what is certain to be an exciting summer with the transfer window, Women’s World Cup and the European u21s Championships.

Duncan Edward Pratt

Founder / Editor in chief

We hope you enjoy this edition, please send comments to duncan@footballerslife.com

Since our last edition, Footballers’ Life has continued to grow and following on from the launch of Footballers’ Life Consultancy earlier in the year we are pleased to say that our work connecting players and clubs across the UK with European sides has gained significant traction and we are excited to be working on a number of projects currently.

Moving back to the magazine, it gives me great pleasure to present our latest edition to you which as always features some key areas of advice across a number of contemporary topics. This edition also offers details around our fantastic, new partnership with the Swiss Education Group. This partnership has been designed with our business orientated followers in mind who may be looking to identify industry-leading educational options for their children and families.

Taking a look at our Talk to the Players section, we have the ultimate champion – Cristiano Ronaldo, England & Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane as well as contributions from Ivan Rakitic and Yaya Toure.

We hope that you enjoy the latest issue, please continue to support us by engaging, liking and following us across all of our social media channels.

We also welcome feedback, so please feel free to contact me via email duncan@footballerslife.com.

Best wishes, Duncan

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c o n t e n t s

Contents 14-19 Ronaldo J u v e n tus

21

Footballers life F o ot b allers life C o n sulta n cy

32-33

Appearance Bon u s W he n is a n A ppeara n ce n ot a n A ppeara n ce ?

24-25

B on u s P ool A n E x ample b y D a n iel G eey

26-27

mat t Se l d on “ T he I n sura n ce M a n ”

28-31

10

34-41

swiss Education C é sar R it z C o lleges

42-43

Ag e n t s’ F ees

statsp orts

2 0 1 8 t o 3 1 Ja n ua r y 2 0 1 9

sp o rts tech c o mpa n y

62-65

Harry Kane

“ W e hav e n o reas o n to fear a n yo n e n ow ”

44-45

Pr e m i e r L e ague benfits the g o lde n egg f o r clu b ow n ers

70-71

Yaya tou r e

accused F ifa a n d U efa

75

Trevor Franci s ON E I N A M I L L I ON B o o k

66-69

I van Rakiti c Barcel o n a F C

80-81

PHIL NEVILLE claims E n gla n d ca n d o mi n ate wo rld f o ot b all

46-51

GUIDE TO ADM INI S TRATION ( E N G L A N D A N D WA L E S )

52-55

p l ay e r t ransfer R e cords e x pe n diture falls to £ 1 8 0 m

56-57

M a s te r c a r d j oi n s O lymp i q u e Ly on n a i s a three - year part n ership

76-79

Womens World Cup wO M E N ’ S F OOT B A L L takes ce n tre stage

88-91

Urban- Autom oti v e b esp o ke car styli n g

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c o n t e n t s

84-87 92-93

Volvo

S 60 sp o rts sal o o n

AMT

R e n t | L ease | Buy | S ell

104-115

Gadgets

G adget S ecti o n

98-99

No bis

E N G I N E E R E D H E R E TO TA K E YO U A N Y W H E R E

101

Ballers Ch a mpa g n e

I ts T ime to S tart Balli n

108-109

Raph aël Va r a n e J o i n s H yperX Family as b ra n d am b assad o r

123

Alpina

S eastro n g D i v er 300

96-97 12

NIKE WOMEN’S FOOTBALL

o fficial b all supplier to U E FA c o mpetiti o n s

124-125

oris

G reat Barrier R eef L imited E diti o n I I I

146-149 Sunseeker N E W H AW K 38

118-121

152-153 Galvin HOP

Patek Phi li pp e

A H appy H o liday – e v eryday

Baselwo rld 2019

126-127 B a mfo r d London the M ayfair S p o rt

128-131 150-151 Frederique Constant F C - 712 cali b er

Quinta do Lago R aise Yo ur G ame

132

154-157

M useum C lassic

R es o rt & Villas

Mo va d o

Danai Beach

136-137

158-159

e x pert pro perty guida n ce

restaura n t i n Berm o n dsey

In ho u s

Pizarro

138-141

163

I n tro duci n g yo ur n ew L o n d o n h o me

A cti v b o dy A cti v 5

The At he n a eum

Activ5

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C R I S T I A N O

R onaldo J u v e n t u s

C

RISTIANO RONALDO has played in the biggest leagues in world football – but he believes Serie A is the toughest he has encountered.

Ronaldo made the surprise decision to end his brilliant career at Real Madrid last summer to make the move to Juventus, a switch some believed was him winding down as a player.

Yet the five-time world footballer of the year claims his first year in Italy has opened his eyes at to actually how good the game is in a country which was once the pinnacle of the global game but is now desperately trying to make up ground on Spain and England.

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“I’ve adapted to the Italian League and it’s a difficult League,” Ronaldo says.

“The most difficult one for me and for all forwards. It’s the most difficult league for me, it’s full of quality players.

“I didn’t expect this much quality in the Italian League, they’re very good.

“It’s harder to score in the Italian League than in the Spanish League.

The Spanish League is more open, the teams risk more. Here, not so much.

“Here, the team’s priority is to defend first, and then to attack. That’s not true for Spain. Spanish games are more open. Always, with most teams.”

“It’s a new country, a new culture...”

When Juventus splashed out the best part of £100 million to sign the forward from Real Madrid, it was seen as a calculated gamble for the club who have dominated Italian football for so long.

Commercially the deal made sense with shirt sales alone vastly increasing Juve’s global reach. And for Ronaldo himself, it opened up a lucrative new market for him with endorsements, after so long in Spain.

He was quickly signed up by the DAZN streaming service as the front of their global push to position themselves as major broadcasting players in the live football rights sector.

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The money made sense, so for the player himself it was just a case of settling quickly into life in a new country and new league – something he has done with ease.

He adds: “We are all well-adjusted, we like living in Italy. It’s a different reality, a different country, language and culture, but I’m well adjusted.

“I’ve been away from home since I was eleven, so it’s not hard for me to adapt to any new country.

I went to England when I was 18, I went to Madrid when I was 25, I came to Turin when I was 33, so it’s not difficult for me to adjust to a different country and culture. I’m used to it.

“I don’t miss Spain or Portugal, it is what it is. Obviously, I left many friends and a great team behind, a team that made me feel loved, people, friends.

“But I don’t miss the country, I have the same things here. So it wasn’t really difficult for me. It’s been intense, interesting, different, but I’m well adjusted, I’m happy.

At 34-years-old there is little left for Ronaldo to prove as a football. He has shone with every club he has played for and been a standard-bearer for single-minded pursuit of excellence.

Yet while others who have reached his age have decided to end their international careers to ensure they can still deliver the goods on a weekly basis at club level, there is still a burning desire in Ronaldo to shine for his country.

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After Russia 2018 he took a short break from playing for Portugal, the country he led to Euro 2016 glory in France, but now he is back and looking not only at the next European Championship but the World Cup in 2022.

If the body is still willing, and given his amazing conditioning there are no signs that it won’t be, Ronaldo says he intends on driving Portugal to qualifying for Qatar and then the tournament itself.

He said: “I feel good. There was a whole process, I was adjusting to a new team, so I talked to the coach, as well as the president, and I felt that I needed a break from the national team.

“It’s a new country, a new culture, a big change for my family and my children, so I wanted to take it easy, to train, and to focus, so I could get a running start in the team.

“The World Cup ended, the national team was playing again in two months, and it was all too quick for me. So I spoke to the coach, he understood what I was saying, and also what I wanted to do, but, like I said, this year is a different concept.

“I’m now used to the Italian League, to the culture of the League itself.

“So I hope to contribute to the national team in coming games, also because I miss it, it’s my home, so I want to help Portugal qualify for the World Cup.”

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r o n a l d o

CRISTIANo RONALDO has stayed at the top of world football not only for his amazing ability but also a religious pursuit of physical conditioning.

f

ew players have had the body strength to sustain the demands of shining at the top level for club and country for such a prolonged period of time as Ronaldo.

The Juventus star has been performing at world class level pretty much since he left Sporting Lisbon to sign for Manchester United as a teenager.

That has been achieved by following a methodical programme of training, nutrition and recovery which is all geared to ensuring his body remains able to keep producing the goods even at the age of 34.

Ronaldo says: "Right now I have a biological age of 23.

I've still got a long time left, I can keep playing until I'm 41.

"I'm feeling good, happy, I can't complain."

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Right from the time he arrived at Old Trafford he had United stars staring in disbelief at the steps he would take in order to reach the very top.

No stone was left unturned in the search for greatness.

His United teammate Rio Ferdinand remembers: “He is driven to set new records, to hit new heights and to be remembered as the greatest footballer ever.

“From the very start in training you could see he was supremely talented. He had all the skills but what really stood out was his work ethic. This was no show pony.

‘Did you see what he did? This guy is a beast’,” said Ronaldo.

“But he was producing the goods and suddenly we were thinking: “Maybe it works.”

“Even from the coaches. But then somebody would always say, ‘Yeah but it’s a shame he’s so small.’

Standing in the chamber for around three minutes, liquid nitrogen freezes Ronaldo to between minus 160 and minus 200 degrees Celsius.

“He is an obsessive. That’s what sets him apart and why he’s stayed at the top for so long.

“It’s true, I was skinny. I had no muscle.

So I made a decision at 11. I knew I had a lot of talent, but I decided that I was going to work harder than everybody.

Cryotherapy beats muscle soreness and reduces swelling, inflammation or sprains – allowing him to be ready for the next match or training session sooner.

“I started sneaking out of the dormitory at night to go work out. I got bigger and faster.

Then comes a strict diet which is all geared to making sure his body continues to be able to perform at its explosive best.

“I would walk onto the field, and the people who used to whisper, ‘Yeah, but he’s so skinny,’ now they would be looking at me like it was the end of the world.”

Ronaldo has said: “I eat a high protein diet, with lots of wholegrain carbs, fruit and vegetables, and avoid sugary food.

“Great skill gets you so far but there have been many players like that. Think of Rivaldo, Figo and the Brazilian Ronaldo, or Ronaldinho.

“They were phenomenal but they were contesting to be the best in the world for only two or three years. Cristiano has been in the discussion every year for a decade.”

Ronaldo himself admits he decided to work hard on his physique having heard misgivings about his frame when he was trying to make his name as a hopeful young player aged just 11.

“I remember the first time I heard one of the kids say to another kid,

He had the £50,000 equipment installed six years ago after hearing how it had helped Bayern Munich star Franck Ribery.

“I started hearing it all the time.

It is a drive which has stayed with the fivetimes world player of the year throughout his career, and even now in the latter stages it shows no sign of easing.

A fully equipped gym is used regularly in his home, and now he has an added piece of kit at his disposal in the shape of a Cryotherapy chamber.

“Eat regularly. If you train regularly it’s important to keep energy levels high to fuel your body for better performance.

“I sometimes eat up to six smaller meals a day to make sure I have enough energy to perform each session at top level.”

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fo o t b a l l e r s

F

l i fe

c o n s u l t a n cy

Footballers life C o n s u lt a n c y ootballers’ Life Consultancy supports professional players, clubs and executives at all levels across Europe.

Utilising our industry-leading European network, particularly across the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium we are able to offer support with the transfer of player’s, staff and general introductions in a highly professional manner.

Owned and operated by British born Duncan Pratt who played professionally in the Netherlands, Footballers’ Life Consultancy offers a genuine, personal experience to its clients and can offer support in a vast range of services:

Scouting networks Player recruitment advice Player career mentoring Brand & PR management Legal support through our approved supply network Contract negotiations Social and lifestyle brand networking Personal procurement consulting

If you would like to have a confidential discussion on how Footballers’ Life Consultancy can support you or your club, please email duncan@footballerslife.com.

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a d v i c e

A Football Squad

Bonus Pool: An Example

By Daniel Geey and Courtney Bryan-Isaacs

I 24

n addition to the specific bonuses in a player’s employment contracts, like appearance bonuses, players may also be paid a squad bonus.

The squad bonus pool is an additional amount of money to be shared between the players at the end of a particular season, depending on the success of the team. Let’s say that a bonus pool amount of £2m is available to the players of a Premier League club if they are not relegated from the Premier League. (In practice, the amount can vary depending on the position in which the club finishes.) In order to reward the players who contribute the most on the pitch during the season, a points system is usually put in place. So 3 points are awarded for a player who starts each Premier League game, 2 points for any playing substitute and 1 point for a non-playing substitute. There will be 43 points available for each game (3 x 11, 2 x 3 and 1 x 4). Stay with me!

With 38 Premier League games, there will be 1,634 points available (38 games x 43 points). Therefore each point is worth just over £1,223 – i.e. the total bonus pool amount is divided by the number of points available (£2m/1634).

To give a practical example, a player in the same Premier League squad who starts 20 Premier League games is a playing substitute in 3, a non-playing substitute in 2, and is injured for the remaining 13 games will earn:

20 starts = 60 points 3 playing sub appearances = 6 points 2 non-playing sub appearance = 2 points a total of 68 points equals £1,223 = £83,164

My book “Done Deal” discusses these topics and many more player transfer and contract issues.

You can buy a copy via Amazon, as well as download it as an ebook or listen to it via Audible.

You can follow me on Twitter, Insta, YouTube and LinkedIn

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a d v i c e

Matt Seldon “The Insurance Man”

W

ith over a decade of experience in the professional sporting industry and a proven track record in delivering personalised insurance solutions, Matt Seldon is the voice of expertise you can trust when it comes to safeguarding yourself, your loved ones and your possessions. A specialist in insurance solutions for professional footballers, Matt heads up the sport division at BBi, a trusted broker with over 50 years heritage and a reputation for delivering outstanding levels of customer service.

With experience both on and off the pitch, first as a footballer and then as an agent, Matt understands the challenges sports professionals face when sourcing appropriate insurance cover and finding trusted advisors who look out for their interests. He enables his clients to choose insurance solutions that take into account the unique characteristics of their lifestyle and consider the type of safeguards they want to put in place should something go wrong.

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Instagram: msinsurance | Twitter: @msinsurance_

He is concerned that many footballers are unknowingly exposing themselves to risks by taking out standard insurance policies which are simply not fit for purpose.

“Many professional sportspeople aren’t aware of the significant gaps in their policies until something goes wrong; and that can be devastating. The specifics of a person’s lifestyle vary hugely. They could have multiple residences or high value cars and only a bespoke service can identify potential risks and protect that individual, their family, their belongings and their valuable assets.”

He stressed the importance of players taking the time to fully understand their insurance portfolio, particularly when it comes to career ending injury. He said many players don’t want to think about what would happen if they get seriously injured but it’s important they do.

“Finding out you have a career ending injury will feel like the end of the world, it’s life changing and you’ll be faced with some difficult decisions. You don’t want that to be the first time you think about insurance and wonder if you have the right cover in place.”

It is usually during contract negotiations that agents consider a player’s policy options for career ending injuries. Often the clubs will make a contribution to their new player’s cover. It’s not uncommon for the player to leave decisions on that cover to their agent but Matt would encourage them to be fully versed on the conditions of the policy.

“There is no such thing as ‘small print’ when it comes to insuring the greatest assets in your life, whether that be protecting yourself from the consequences of illness or injury or safeguarding your possessions. My job is to help you navigate all the paperwork, understand the appraisal and claims processes and to support you, ensuring you receive a swift and fair settlement if something goes wrong.”

BBi use a ‘number of specialist providers’, with a proven track record in this specialist cover. That is why Matt is confident they provide the best options for cover in the market, at very competitive prices.

The maximum amount of cover depends on a player’s age, salary and the length of their contract. Matt will present players with a variety of cover options, with some policies offering up to five times the players salary as a lump sum after injury. Using his expertise as a skilled negotiator, Matt ensures his clients are presented with the best terms with various options around lump sum payments, protection against future loss of earnings, initial financial buffers and retraining funds.

“It is at the point something goes wrong that players and agents really understand the value of a good broker, who has helped you put the right policies in place to safeguard assets and in the case of an injury, help with both physical and financial recovery”.

Regularly dealing with some of the most elite sportspeople in the world, Matt has built up strong relationships with these top athletes and prides himself on the personal levels of service that he offers his clients. He’s often the first person they call if something goes wrong and most of his new clients come from personal referrals.

“An insurance policy is a promise to pay out if something goes wrong. You need to trust the person who helps you put that cover in place and rely on their expertise.

There are unique considerations with professional footballers, so standard policies simply do not provide adequate cover”.

Matt Seldon invites both experienced and up-and-coming sports stars to connect with him to discuss their insurance portfolio and would welcome the opportunity to offer his advice and support.

My email: matt.seldon@bernsbrett.com Our website: www.bbicover.com Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-seldon-14875113

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a d v i c e

Intermediary Fees 1 February 2018 to 31 January 2019

The information represents all Intermediary and Agents' fees paid

by Clubs during the specified period via The FA's clearing account

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Premier League Club Net total paid to Agents/Intermediaries AFC BOURNEMOUTH ARSENAL BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION BURNLEY CARDIFF CITY CHELSEA CRYSTAL PALACE EVERTON FULHAM HUDDERSFIELD TOWN LEICESTER CITY LIVERPOOL MANCHESTER CITY MANCHESTER UNITED NEWCASTLE UNITED SOUTHAMPTON TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR WATFORD WEST HAM UNITED WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS

Total

£10,295,433 £11,181,730 £6,859,429 £3,975,928 £2,802,375 £26,850,552 £6,976,425 £19,116,370 £8,234,360 £5,023,807 £12,720,618 £43,795,863 £24,122,753 £20,759,350 £8,868,027 £6,151,107 £11,141,255 £10,894,179 £14,414,845 £6,479,714

£260,664,118

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EFL Championship Club Net total paid to Agents/Intermediaries ASTON VILLA BIRMINGHAM CITY BLACKBURN ROVERS BOLTON WANDERERS BRENTFORD BRISTOL CITY DERBY COUNTY HULL CITY IPSWICH TOWN LEEDS UNITED MIDDLESBROUGH MILLWALL NORWICH CITY NOTTINGHAM FOREST PRESTON NORTH END QUEENS PARK RANGERS READING ROTHERHAM UNITED SHEFFIELD UNITED SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY STOKE CITY SWANSEA CITY WEST BROMWICH ALBION WIGAN ATHLETIC Total

£3,427,818 £2,122,569 £452,858 £471,481 £1,905,236 £1,107,391 £4,293,410 £1,047,481 £790,210 £2,261,431 £2,642,768 £383,594 £2,651,151 £1,053,720 £910,612 £1,437,817 £2,103,206 £154,653 £1,369,917 £1,324,285 £7,229,515 £5,551,168 £5,139,526 £649,478

£50,481,293

EFL League One Club Net total paid to Agents/Intermediaries ACCRINGTON STANLEY AFC WIMBLEDON BARNSLEY BLACKPOOL BRADFORD CITY BRISTOL ROVERS BURTON ALBION CHARLTON ATHLETIC COVENTRY CITY DONCASTER ROVERS FLEETWOOD TOWN GILLINGHAM LUTON TOWN OXFORD UNITED PETERBOROUGH UNITED PLYMOUTH ARGYLE PORTSMOUTH ROCHDALE SCUNTHORPE UNITED SHREWSBURY TOWN SOUTHEND UNITED SUNDERLAND WALSALL WYCOMBE

Total

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£10,295,433 £62,173 £428,580 £45,838 £154,410 £96,852 £131,002 £205,095 £155,909 £88,753 £183,356 £28,088 £124,069 £160,678 £176,465 £91,370 £183,790 £42,497 £126,207 £77,042 £44,658 £2,873,033 £55,499 £19,500

£5,559,679

National League and below Club Net total paid to Agents/Intermediaries

EFL League two Club Net total paid to Agents/Intermediaries

BURY CAMBRIDGE UNITED CARLISLE UNITED CHELTENHAM TOWN COLCHESTER UNITED CRAWLEY TOWN CREWE ALEXANDRA EXETER CITY FOREST GREEN ROVERS GRIMSBY TOWN LINCOLN CITY MACCLESFIELD TOWN MANSFIELD TOWN MILTON KEYNES DONS MORECAMBE NEWPORT COUNTY NORTHAMPTON TOWN NOTTS COUNTY OLDHAM ATHLETIC PORT VALE STEVENAGE SWINDON TOWN TRANMERE ROVERS YEOVIL TOWN

Total

£6,075 £48,930 £27,431 £61,253 £38,642 £32,160 £10,638 £14,490 £40,431 £38,104 £44,434 £77,932 £124,069 £80,263 £13,486 £31,952 £92,125 £55,130 £55,551 £60,027 £38,460 £18,000 £26,112 £27,931

AFC FYLDE ALFRETON TOWN BARNET BARROW BOSTON UNITED CHESTERFIELD DAGENHAM & REDBRIDGE EASTLEIGH EBBSFLEET FRICKLEY ATHLETIC GUISELEY AFC HALIFAX TOWN HARROGATE TOWN HARTLEPOOL UNITED HAVANT & WATERLOOVILLE HEREFORD LEYTON ORIENT SOLIHULL MOORS SOUTH SHIELDS SOUTHPORT STOCKPORT COUNTY SUTTON UNITED TORQUAY UNITED WOKING WREXHAM YORK CITY

Total

£10,820 £500 £16,100 £14,563 £500 £72,943 £3,190 £19,462 £9,130 £900 £8,820 £9,312 £9,479 £18,369 £1,344 £1,500 £30,067 £5,660 £500 £1,500 £900 £7,228 £10,700 £8,858 £26,468 £13,455

£378,605

£940,555

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When is an Appearance not an Appearance?

BY DAN IEL G EEY and Co urtney B ryan -I saacs

O ve r t he years, I ’v e be e n ask ed to rev iew a n um be r of fo ot ba l l pl ay e r e m ploy m e nt cont ra c t s. T h is blo g sets o ut w hy t h e de fin itio n of appearance can be o n e of th e most i mpo rtant co ntract d e f i n i t i on s fo r clubs, play e rs an d a g e nt s to co n side r.

Footballer Contract The commercial terms of an employment contract are usually set out in a schedule to the contract. It will at the very least set out the player’s weekly wage e.g. £50,000 per week, accommodation expenses and particular bonuses.

Typically, for elite players at EPL clubs, the schedule will contain a wide variety of clauses including bonuses for appearances and/or winning a game in a particular competition, scoring or assisting goals (though such clauses are becoming rarer), release clauses when a transfer bid of a certain amount of money is made, wage increase/reduction clauses in case of promotion/relegation and what the club will pay to the player’s agent by way of commission.

Just one word, however, can significantly impact the economics for a player and their salary. The defined word “Appearance” is used a number of times throughout a player’s contract schedule. It is usually defined as a set number of minutes that the player must appear on the pitch for the club.

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Playing Appearance Bonus Sometimes the definition of appearance can be as straightforward (and narrow) as starting an EPL match. Alternatively, a set number of minutes may be required i.e. starting an EPL match and playing a minimum of 70 minutes.

The definition of appearance can be crucial when reviewing a draft contract. For instance, if appearance is defined as widely as being a member of the match day squad, this would benefit a young up-and-coming player who may not be ready for a significant number of on-field minutes in the coming season but who will still receive a bonus for the achievement of making the first team match day squad. Alternatively, for an established EPL player, the club may only pay an appearance bonus if he is in the starting line-up (and may be paid more as a result).

Appearance fees can also be linked/tied to wins or draws i.e. a player only gets a bonus if he plays 70 minutes for the team in an EPL match and the team wins. The clauses are also more nuanced so that appearance bonuses may differ depending on the competition that the player is playing in. Typically, the EPL and Champions League appearance and win bonuses will be much larger than FA Cup or League Cup bonuses (because the former competitions are more lucrative to the club than the later competitions).

Ultimately, a key element to consider is whether there is a set stipulated number of minutes a player must be present on the pitch in order to count as an appearance. Fans see players come on for the last few minutes of injury time but the question is whether three minutes is long enough to warrant an appearance bonus. These are the types of issues that can be extensively negotiated at the time of a deal.

Wage Increase Appearance Bonus Similarly, a clause may provide that if a player makes a certain number of appearances, his salary may increase from say £40k to £50k. It’s of crucial importance again to understand how appearance is defined. Much will depend on the number of appearances, the number of minutes the player has to be in the pitch for it to be classed as an appearance and for which competition does an appearance relate. If reaching £50k from £40k means 50 appearances and an appearance means at least 45 minutes in Premier League and Champions League matches, then even an EPL squad player may take a few seasons to reach such a target.

As such, making the clauses as obtainable and realistic as possible is key. Many savvy agents will for example, try to negotiate a more ‘player friendly’ appearance definition so that an appearance may mean say 20 minutes on the pitch for any first team game including FA cup and League Cup match and/or an extra £5k per week after reaching a lower target, say 25 appearances (both of these examples being more obtainable targets than the above example).

Additionally, a player may receive a one-off bonus (£100k) for reaching milestone appearances e.g.

25, 50 and 100 first team appearances. It’s easy again to see why defining appearance as broadly as possible for the player and as narrowly as possible for the club can be of real significance.

In addition, being selected or appearing for a player’s national team may lead to additional payments.

Appearance could be defined as narrowly as playing as in the starting eleven in a competitive national senior team match. Compare this with appearance being defined as any match action for an u18-21 and senior national team match. Although the later may not be as lucrative in receiving a bonus for an u21s match, it means that the agent is looking for opportunities for the player to perhaps earn more obtainable bonuses as the player’s career develops.

My book “Done Deal” discusses these topics and many more player transfer and contract issues. It’s available to buy via Amazon and be downloaded as an ebook or via Audible.

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he Swiss Education Group has revolutionised the very meaning of modern day education.

In a period of continual debate about the value of education, particularly in England and Wales where tuition fees have dramatically risen with the average higher education student paying in excess of £9,000 per year for an Undergraduate Degree tuition fee alone, the demand for value and return on investment has never been more at the forefront of students, and their parents minds.

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Despite the high costs for further education in the UK and the realisation of a number of Universities in the UK turning their backs on Hospitality based courses, the Hospitality sector as a whole continues to be a major contributor to the world’s economy. Hospitality stretches far beyond hotels such as The Four Seasons, Hilton Hotels and Shangri-La, it also encompasses luxury brands, goods and businesses and the demand for high-quality talent into these fields continues to be highly sought after.

The Swiss Education Group – the largest private education group in Switzerland – focuses on giving hospitality students the very best education and preparation for a career with the most prestigious brands around the world. The school offers students from all over the world a variety of globally recognised undergraduate and Master honours in collaboration with the UK based University of Derby and the US based Washington State University.

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a d v i c e Amanda, a Graduate who now works at the Mandarin Oriental in Hyde Park, London explained to Footballers’ Life Magazine the employability support she received during her time at the Swiss Education Group: “The amazing thing about studying with the Swiss Education Group is that the schools assist you with finding internships and full time employment right from the beginning in your first year with them.

We have our own private recruitment fair called the International Recruitment Forum (IRF) where all the top luxury hospitality brands come to meet students. So having attended these throughout the three years I have been studying there, I have been able to build contacts and connections from a young age that has benefited me in finding a job soon after graduating, even before! However, this is all just a platform and stepping stone that the schools provide for us. We have to do the hard work ourselves! Go out for interviews, network, build contacts and connections”.

Whilst an emphasis on supporting students with their post graduate careers has been a defining factor for many students opting to study in Switzerland with the Swiss Education Group, the quality of education and the effective structure of the courses on offer has also proven to be popular.

Each of the schools, César Ritz Colleges; Culinary Arts Academy; Hotel Institute Montreux; IHTTI School of Hotel Management; and the Swiss Hotel Management School offers a bespoke, one-of-akind yet highly effective variety of Bachelor & Master Programmes. In 2018 the Swiss Education Board was rated as the No 1 for overall living and arrival, accommodation quality and topic selection, top 5 for student unions, and top 10 for expert lecturers, teachers and learning support

by THE-ICE Benchmark Rating Report.

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César Ritz Colleges has three campuses, Le Bouveret, Lucerne and Brig. Partnered with a number of prestigious establishments such as Washington State University, Ritz Paris and the University of Derby, César Ritz Colleges has proven to be the ideal environment for students aiming to establish a career at some of the world’s most iconic Hospitality Groups.

A unique blend of modern day learning methods within a traditional setting has proven extremely popular with students from across the globe, enticed by the world renowned César Ritz brand that speaks volumes to even the most demanding and prestigious employers.

The César Ritz Lucerne campus is located in the heart of the city, in the impressive former Union hotel that was built in the 1900s and underwent major renovations in 2012, to welcome students in modern facilities. Known for its culture and modern convention centre, Lucerne has a large selection of shops, cinemas, museums, theatres, restaurants, bars and clubs for students to enjoy.

Located in a magnificent former hotel dating back to the early 1900s, the César Ritz Le Bouveret campus is just minutes away from the town centre and the lake. The new campus extension, finished in 2012, provides 100 fully equipped single superior deluxe rooms with state-of-the-art kitchen facilities in collaboration with the Culinary Arts Academy Switzerland. The site even boasts replica rooms from within the iconic Ritz Paris Hotel, with even the most minute of detail captured, allowing students to gain a wonderful understanding of the level required.

The entire campus is set in a magnificent 26,000m2 lakeside location and offers a tranquil and secure study environment. A high-speed wireless connection is provided throughout the campus.

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Culinary Arts Academy Switzerland focuses as much on business as it does on Culinary Arts, ensuring that graduates are fully equipped for their future, both in and out of the kitchen. It has a unique additional benefit of sharing its 2 campuses with César Ritz Colleges Switzerland, offering a truly rounded learning experience in real-world conditions. Boasting a brand-new state of the art fully furnished real-life kitchen learning experience, students get the opportunity to learn practically within an environment better than most modern top restaurant kitchens. The Mosimann collection, a world culinary heritage, which is a unique partnership between internationally renowned Chef Anton Mosimann OBE (chef to the Queen and Royal family) and the Swiss Education Group. This four storey museum is dedicated to the private collection of Chef Mosimann’s memorabilia.

The business of hospitality is the main focus at Hotel Institute Montreux With specialisations in Finance, Human Resources, and Luxury Marketing and Business, and campus life in the heart of town, this school is ideal for the ambitious, business-minded student. Working in collaboration with many of the world’s leading brands, students get to work on the back office styled areas of hospitality, learning crucial skills that are recognised and transferable across a vast array of sectors, not just hospitality.

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Based in the heart of Neuchatel, a beautiful lakeside town, IHTTI School of Hotel Management takes students into a more business, management focused environment. Encouraging creativity and out-of-the-box thinking, students focus on the importance of aesthetics tied in with functionality, while learning how to apply these qualities in any future situation. In partnership with the University of Derby, the school offers students a highly popular Bachelor of Arts Honours Degree in International Hospitality & Design Management as well as post-graduate studies as a Master of International Business in Hotel & Design Management.

The school offers a range of accommodation options within its on-campus living arrangements, offering breathtaking views onto Lake Neuchatel. Ranging from sole occupancy rooms through to shared accomodation, students have the option to select from a range of options depending on their preference and budget.

Swiss Hotel Management School (SHMS) offers Bachelor and Master programmes based on two beautiful campuses housed in former traditional palace hotels. SHMS is focused on “Learning By Doing”. Lavish banqueting halls, a grand theatre, fully equipped wet and dry spas and multiple restaurants combined with courses offered in partnership with their UK university partner University of Derby enables a fully encompassing hospitality operations education. Despite its traditional setting and historic scene, SHMS is an Apple Distinguished School, embracing the developing advancements in technology and recognising the engagement that this provides with today’s generation of students. As an Apple Distinguished school, SHMS’ students are able to enhance their learning experience at the school with the use and integration of Apple’s latest tech including iMacs and iPads. All students receive their very own iPad at the start of their course with SHMS. SHMS operate out of two fantastic locations in Caux and Leysin offering students the ability to live and learn in a beautiful, breathtaking environments. SHMS’ Caux campus is globally renowned owing to its location high up in the alps above Montreux and looking down onto Lake Geneva. As a historic building, the Caux Palace offers an inspiring environment in which to study, steeped in the heritage of Swiss hospitality traditions. This unique campus offers modern facilities and is equipped with the latest technology to aid students in their studies.

For further details and for booking your private tour of the facilities in Switzerland or your one to one counselling session in your own country contact Annie@swisseducation.co.uk Ask us about our summer clubs too and our newly launched tailor made business development training programmes.

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“

I realised that school and the working world are completely different, however the education I received put me a step further forward as I had knowledge of the operational processes of the department I work in.

”

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I learn new things every day from different people, I will always maintain a sense of true luxury 5 star Swiss elegance that will always make me unique from everyone else around me.

”

“

Studying in Switzerland is absolutely amazing! Each day feels like you’re on holiday because it is such a beautiful country and there are so many things to do there! It is a very unique and special experience that I will honestly cherish for the rest of my life.

”

“

The facilities are incredible.

The entire setup of our school created an atmosphere of being in a real hotel. Our restaurants even get outside booking from actual local residents of the place.

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STATSports

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remier League stars Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Raheem Sterling have joined the growing trend for elite athletes to invest in high-tech businesses in a bid to secure their financial futures once their playing careers come to an end.

The England internationals, who play for Liverpool and Manchester City, have become significant investors as well as global ambassadors for fast-growing sports tech company STATSports.

The wearable performance tracking and analysis company is favoured by elite teams in multiple sports across the world. Both players have used the body-worn devices since their launch, monitoring their fitness levels and performance in training and matches.

Oxlade-Chamberlain said: “I have chosen STATSports above all potential investments.

It’s a brand and product I have known and trusted for the last 10 years of my footballing career. Working with STATSports at Southampton, Arsenal, Liverpool and with England I know this is the best product on the market by far. From rehabilitation

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to matchday performance the STATSports technology makes a positive difference.

“I am also excited to be involved in strategic decisions that will impact anything from product development to marketing.

“Knowing the guys at STATSports, I am super excited for where this will go, the sky is the limit. I am delighted to have the opportunity to invest at this early stage of what I believe will be the Instagram or WhatsApp of wearables.”

Sterling said: “I use STATSports technology every single day for both City and England and have done for years, so I know how valuable it is for getting the best out of me for the team.

“STATSports has already made a big name for itself in the elite game but it’s clear to me that there is huge potential for the technology and that is why I’ve invested.

“Along with my advisors, we were impressed with STATSports’ upcoming plans, I was delighted to have the opportunity to invest at this early stage valuation of £200 million. I see no reason that STATSports cannot be the next billion dollar plus wearable technology company.

“STATSports are just starting to make this product available for consumers and I see this as a big move for STATSports and football in general. It will allow players at all levels to use the same GPS technology as we use.

This will only improve the grassroots game.

“In a game of small margins, believe me when I say this technology makes a difference.

In addition the insights from the data it will also help improve the health of our nation by encouraging people to be more active. ” Pro athletes are no strangers to making investments for their futures. NBA superstar LeBron James reportedly made $30 million for his share when Beats by Dr Dre headphones was sold to Apple in 2014 for $3 billion.

Tom Brady of the New England Patriots secured $3 million in venture backing in 2018 for his digital media company he cofounded. More extreme was Golden State Warrior Kevin Durant who stated that one of the reasons he moved to California from Oklahoma was to be nearer to Silicon Valley.

UK based STATSports, have a client list to envy including; Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Arsenal, Spurs, Juventus, and PSG, plus national teams including England, Germany and Brazil.

Away from football they also provide the technology to many International Rugby teams including England, Ireland, France and South Africa. They also boast clients in American Sports NFL and NBA clients.

The STATSports GPS performance technology is FIFA approved to be legally worn on pitch, something that Apple, Fitbit or Garmin can’t claim for the 265 million registered football players worldwide.

Jarlath Quinn, Executive and Chief Global Strategist at STATSports, said: “The company has been profitable year on year without taking any investment since its inception in 2009. What is even more remarkable is for a technology company to achieve global market leader status whilst being bootstrapped.

“So without doubt this is a landmark moment for STATSports. The fact our first set of investors includes top players such as Alex and Raheem, who know better than anyone the importance of our technology, is a ringing endorsement of our plans to cement our position in the B2B market whilst growing the huge B2C opportunity.”

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s

ome, such as Bournemouth and Brighton, have invested heavily in an effort to make the top flight and stay there and have been rewarded with years in the elite.

But the enormous injection of money provided just by being promoted to the Premier League has meant it has never been more important to some club boards to go for broke.

In effect, that has led to the very futures of clubs being shrouded in doubt because regimes in charge at the time have gambled on chasing the dream and have come up short.

Portsmouth, Bradford, Charlton and Leeds have all had their historical problems since exiting the top flight.

This season it is Bolton and Blackpool who have been in dire straits.

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THE huge financial benefits of the Premier League have long been the golden egg for club owners in the EFL to chase.

Swansea have their problems with a summer of cost-cutting on the way while other big championship sides seem likely to have to sell some of their best players to balance the books.

Part of the reason they need to bring in cash is down to simple maths, but a huge reason now is that the EFL are taking a significantly tougher line with clubs who put their very future in danger because of poor financial management.

The league’s decision to hit Birmingham with a nine-point deduction for failing their Profit and Sustainability test has suddenly made boards of other clubs sit up and take note.

Birmingham were punished after their three-year accounts showed they had made a loss of £49 million over that period, £10m more than the regulations allow. And the EFL decided to make them the first club punished since the rules were introduced in 2017.

That ruling has also set a precedent, and it is believed that three or four other sides in the Championship are now in genuine danger of breaking the same regulations over the course of the summer.

Shaun Harvey, current chief executive of the EFL, said: “Each club has a three year period, and every club’s financial year end is after the end of the season.

“So there is an opportunity between the end of the season and the financial year end to dispose of players,

which is a perfectly normal business strategy and what a lot of our clubs do.

“They keep the players for the season, if they get promoted they keep them and if they don’t get promoted some of them are sold.

“There are a number of clubs that will need to sell players between the end of the season and the end of their financial year to potentially meet the requirements of our P&S rules.”

Aston Villa are expected to be closely examined, having previously been advised by the EFL to take major action to avoid P&S issues when Nassef Awiris and Wes Edens took control of the club last year.

Derby is another side thought to be concerned, with current owner Mel Morris said to be open to the prospect of selling his stake for as little as one pounds.

And Sheffield Wednesday chairman Dejphon Chansiri openly admitted last December that FFP issues are a major concern at his club.

He said: “If we break (FFP) a little, no problem. But we broke a lot: eight figures high – this is the truth.

“If we don’t go up soon, we will break it (spending rules) anyway. If we didn’t spend I believe we would have (already) been relegated.”

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GUIDE TO ADMINISTRATION (ENGLAND AND WALES) What is an administration?

If a company cannot pay its debts when due, or if its liabilities outweigh its assets (i.e. the company is insolvent), the company’s directors or a creditor may apply to the court to place the company into administration. In an administration, the running of an insolvent company’s affairs, business and property are managed by an administrator, who is required by law to be a licensed insolvency practitioner.

Administration is one of three main types of corporate insolvency procedure (the others being a company voluntary arrangement (CVA) or liquidation), and is designed to be a business rescue procedure.

While a company is in administration, creditors are prevented from taking any actions against it except with the permission of the court.

An administration is only ever a temporary state of affairs – in England and Wales, administrations have a statutory length of 12 months, although this can be extended if necessary with the agreement of creditors, or the permission of the court. They can also last for under 12 months if the administrator judges that there is no need for the administration to last any longer, provided that creditors agree.

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The administrator must perform their functions with the first of these objectives in mind, unless they think either: • That it is not reasonably practicable to achieve that objective, or

What is the purpose of an administration?

There are three main statutory purposes of an administration. In order of priority, they are:

1.

2.

3.

• That the second objective would achieve a better result for the company’s creditors as a whole.

The administrator may perform their functions with the third objective as the intended outcome only if:

Rescuing the company as a going concern, or

• They think that it is not reasonably practicable to achieve either of the first two objectives, and

Achieving a better result for the company’s creditors as a whole than would be likely if the company were wound up (without first being in administration), or

• They do not unnecessarily harm the interests of the creditors of the company as a whole.

Realising property in order to make a distribution to one or more secured or preferential creditors.

Who oversees an administration?

An administrator, required by law to be a licensed insolvency practitioner, will oversee the administration. They will take over the duties and responsibilities previously held by the insolvent company’s directors (see below for details on fees and oversight of the administrator’s work).

Administrators are responsible to all creditors; they are not responsible to one particular creditor, and they are not responsible to the insolvent company’s directors.

What does an administrator do?

Once appointed, the administrator works quickly to get as accurate a picture as possible about the company’s affairs: its bank accounts, its operations, its assets. After gathering as much information as possible, the administrator will look into different possibilities for the company.

Can it be restructured and its business model rescued?

Can it be sold (in whole or in part) to another firm?

How can the company avoid liquidation? The administrator is legally bound, as a formally appointed agent of the court, to do their best to get the best possible returns for creditors, and must be prepared to defend decisions about the outcome of the administration process in court, if necessary.

After appointment, the administrator takes over the management role previously held by a company’s directors.

As a result, the administrator has broad powers to carry on the company’s business and to realise its assets, including the power to remove or appoint directors.

The administrator will communicate with creditors and the court, and ensure they’re kept up to date with developments on at least a six-monthly basis. The administrator will write to all known creditors within 14 days of their appointment; when the administration is terminated, a final report will also be produced. These reports can be accessed via Companies House, where they are required to be deposited.

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Who ensures the administrator is doing a good job?

There are a number of safeguards in place with regards to the behaviour of an administrator.

In the first instance, the administrator is an agent of the court, and can face legal sanctions if found to have acted in a way detrimental to creditors’ interests.

The creditors also have control over the administrator’s fee (see section below).

In some administrations, creditors choose to elect a creditors’ committee, of between three and five representatives, to oversee the administrator’s work and to ensure that good practice is followed.

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Furthermore, the administrator, as noted above, is required to be a licenced insolvency practitioner, and is therefore answerable to a Recognised Professional Body (RPB), an organisation with the power to enact penalties, including fines or the removal of an insolvency licence. The RPBs in the UK are: ·

the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants

·

the Insolvency Practitioners’ Association

·

the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales

·

the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland

·

the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland.

If creditors are unsatisfied with the performance or actions of an administrator, they can complain to the Insolvency Service, or directly to the administrator’s RPB.

What are the different classes of creditor?

In an insolvency, it is usually the case that there is not enough money left in a company’s or individual’s possession for all creditors to be repaid all that they are owed.

Because of this, the government has created an ‘order of priority’ that determines the order in which creditors are paid back their money (or at least, what money can be paid back).

This order prioritises major lenders with security, often banks.

These types of lenders are further up the order of priority so that they feel confident continuing to lend to businesses. If there was very little chance that a bank would receive its money back in the event of one of its debtors becoming insolvent, the bank could become unwilling to lend to other businesses in the future.

In order, the classes of creditor in an administration are:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Secured/fixed charge creditors, usually banks, whose lending is tied to a specific property or asset belonging to the company or individual (e.g. a mortgage).

The costs of the insolvency, such as legal fees or rent on a commercial property, and the administrator’s fee.

Preferential creditors, usually the employees of an insolvent company who are owed unpaid wages, holiday pay, and/or pension contributions.

Floating charge creditors, whose lending is tied to a general type of asset rather than a specific asset – for example, a lender could issue a floating charge for the goods in a company’s warehouse, whose quantity and value can vary over time.

Unsecured creditors, who are usually the largest group by number, if not by size of the debts owed to them; trade suppliers, employees owed redundancy pay, customers who possess gift cards, and HM Revenue & Customs are common types of unsecured creditors.

Shareholders and bond holders.

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What rights do unsecured creditors have in an administration?

If there are any funds left after repayments to the creditor classes which are above unsecured creditors in the order of priority, unsecured creditors may receive all of or a proportion of their funds back. In practice, it is very unusual for unsecured creditors to get back all the monies they are owed from an insolvent company.

If there is a floating charge creditor, the administrator can hold back a portion of the funds owed to them and distribute it instead to unsecured creditors. This is called the ‘prescribed part’, and is defined as 50% of the first £10,000 of assets (that would otherwise have gone to the floating charge holder), and then, if applicable, 20% of the balance up to a total of £600,000.

The administrator has a duty to update all creditors, even unsecured creditors unlikely to receive much (if anything) of their money back.

Unsecured creditors are also entitled to attend creditors’ meetings, and to write to administrators with their views. More and more of this communication is taking place online. Following recent rules changes, creditors can choose to opt out of the administrator’s updates.

How are the administrator’s fees decided?

When a company is declared insolvent, the administrator performs an important role in trying to get the best possible deal for creditors, be that through rescuing the business, or through returning as much as possible to investors, suppliers and others who are owed money by the insolvent company.

Work on an administration can take a significant amount of time, and involves the application of a wide range of specialist skills, such as forensic accountancy, fraud investigation, detailed tax knowledge, finding new sources of funding, and managing employee relations. This is why creditors – who ultimately control how much in fees the administrator will receive – seek to bring in administrators.

The administrator’s fee is paid out of the assets of the insolvent company, and will only be paid if there is anything left over after what is owed to the first tier of creditors (secured creditors).

The fee can be decided upon in several ways, according to the Insolvency Rules 2016. These are: · as a percentage of the value of the property which the administrator has to deal, or · by reference to the time properly given by the administrator and their staff in attending to matters arising in the administration, or ·

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as a fixed amount.

If the fee is not to be decided on a time-cost basis, the administrator must supply creditors with an estimate of expenses likely to be incurred, and a proposal of the work to be undertaken. If the fee is to be decided on a time-cost basis, the administrator must provide a fees estimate in advance, which acts as a cap on the final payment; if the case turns out to be more difficult or time-consuming than estimated, the administrator will have to seek approval from creditors to raise the fee from the initial estimate. The administrator will usually seek approval for fees when they send out their proposals for the administration. They have to send out their proposals for achieving the purpose of the administration within the period of eight weeks beginning with the day on which the company enters into administration.

Administration outcomes There are various scenarios which can come about at the end of an administration: o The business is rescued: o The whole business is sold to a new company, or the existing company receives fresh capital and continues trading o The company might restructure its business (cutting loss-making subsidiaries, reducing costs) and re-emerge from administration o Part of the business could be sold to new owners or moved to a new company – the old company and unsold parts of the business will then be liquidated. o The company may go into liquidation, or may be dissolved if there are no funds for distribution to unsecured creditors. o If a voluntary arrangement has been agreed during the administration, the arrangement may continue according to its terms. (It is possible for a voluntary arrangement to run concurrently with an administration).

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Premier League clubs’

player transfer expenditure falls to

£180m in January, but net spend hits record levels for the 2018/19 season Total expenditure by Premier League clubs in the January 2019 transfer window was £180m, falling for the first time since 2012;

Net transfer expenditure (player purchases less player sales) of Premier League clubs totalled a record £905m in 2018/19; Premier League clubs spent £1.4 billion in the 2018/19 season, making it the first season since 2011/12 that has seen a year-on-year decrease in gross transfer expenditure (i.e. before including player sales);

Premier League clubs’ 2018/19 gross player transfer expenditure as a proportion of the clubs’ estimated revenue was 28% compared to 39% in 2017/18. This is in line with the long-term of average (of 28%).

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P

remier League clubs spent £180m in the January 2019 transfer window, according to analysis by Deloitte’s Sports Business Group. This brings total gross spending by Premier League clubs in the 2018/19 season to an estimated £1.4 billion, the second-highest season ever following record spend of £1.9 billion in 2017/18. However, it is the first season since 2011/12 that has seen a year-on-year decrease in transfer expenditure from Premier League clubs, with total spending in January 2019 down by £250m compared to January 2018.

Tim Bridge, director in the Sports Business Group at Deloitte, commented: “As we approach a decisive phase of the season, Premier League clubs’ January transfer spending has been relatively muted in comparison to what we have seen in previous years.”

The considerable reduction in January activity is attributable to a combination of factors including: reduced activity from the ‘big six’ clubs; a perceived lack of value in the transfer market; the strongest ever financial position of Premier League clubs, reducing the need to sell their best talent in order to ensure financial stability; and the global value of Premier League broadcast rights, with the 2019/20 – 2021/22 cycle being only slightly higher than the previous cycle, thereby reducing clubs’ desire to spend significantly in the transfer market.

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a record level of net transfer spend of £905m in 2018/19

Bridge added: “With central distributions to clubs now likely to remain around current levels until at least the end of the 2021/22 season, clubs are potentially taking a more long-term view to their transfer strategies.

“Whilst Premier League clubs have spent less this January than we have recently become accustomed to, our recent Football Money League highlights the impact that individual, high-profile player signings can have on a club’s financial performance.

With broadcast rights only increasing marginally, the emphasis is now on clubs to grow revenue through their own activity and as such, it would not be a surprise to see the larger Premier League clubs still attempting to sign the world’s most highprofile and high-value players in the future.”

Although gross transfer expenditure has decreased for the first time since the 2011/12 season, there has been a record level of net transfer spend of £905m in 2018/19. This ongoing trend reflects the fact that the Premier League is the highest importer of talent in the world with its clubs prioritising on-field performance ahead of maximising player trading profits, the latter forming a key component of the business model of clubs in most other leagues.

Bridge concluded: “Of the Premier League’s total expenditure in 2018/19, 72% related to players acquired from overseas with clubs also increasingly seeking loan arrangements with options to buy to try and protect themselves from excessive transfer fees on unproven Premier League talent.”

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”

Additional findings from Deloitte’s analysis of the January 2019 transfer window include: Premier League clubs spent £180m to acquire new players in the January 2019 transfer window, falling well short of the previous year’s record (2018: £430m; 2017: £215m; 2016: £175m; 2015: £130m; 2014: £130m). A summary of Premier League clubs’ player transfer spending for each of the January transfer windows (2003-2019) is set out in the list below; Premier League clubs recorded net transfer spend of £55m in January 2019 (2018: net spend of £90m; 2017: net receipts of £40m; 2016: net spend of £100m; 2015: net spend of £40m; 2014: net spend of £35m); The ‘big six’ Premier League clubs accounted for 43% of total gross expenditure in January 2019 compared to 62% in 2018. Those clubs currently in the bottom six of the table recorded spending of £20m (13% of total gross expenditure) - a reduction of £70m from January 2018;

Chelsea’s signing of Christian Pulisic represents the highest outlay from a Premier League club in this year’s window, however, he will not arrive at the club until the summer; Deadline day expenditure by Premier League clubs totalled £50m falling short of the record deadline day spend in last year’s January transfer window of £150m; Championship clubs spent a total of £60m, more than double last year’s total of £30m, with Stoke City in particular strengthening their squad in the hope of pushing towards the play-off positions to secure a return to the Premier League; The Premier League was again the highest-spending league in European football during the January transfer window (£180m/€205m). The next-highest spending league was Serie A, with total transfer expenditure of around £140m/€160m.

Clubs in Ligue 1 spent around £65m/€75m, with Bundesliga clubs spending around £65m/€75m. La Liga clubs spent around £65m/€70m; and Since the introduction of the player transfer window system in January 2003, aggregate gross player transfer spending by Premier League clubs has exceeded £12 billion, with this representing c.28% as a proportion of aggregate revenue. Around 19% (£2.3 billion) of the aggregate gross player transfer spend has been in the January transfer windows.

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Mastercard joins Olympique Lyonnais’ Women’s Team

T

he Olympique Lyonnais is proud to announce the signing of a three-year partnership agreement with Mastercard, leader in the payment systems sector. Mastercard, one of the most prominent sports sponsor, thus reinforces its commitment to sports and especially to Women’s Football. This partnership sends a strong signal in favour of gender equality in sports and reflects both Mastercard’s and Olympique Lyonnais’ long-standing engagement for diversity, inclusion and parity.

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For more than 25 years, Mastercard has been one of main actors in terms of sponsorship of Women’s Football.

As for the Olympique Lyonnais, the club is widely recognized as a global benchmark in Women’s sports or in any sports, in the words used by the New York Times the day before the UEFA Women Champions League final. The Olympique Lyonnais won its 6th UEFA Women Champions League Champions title last Saturday, the fourth in a row. It also won its eighth French Cup and its thirteenth consecutive national champions title, winning an historic triple crown at the end of 2018-2019 season.

Through this three-year partnership agreement, Mastercard becomes one of Olympique Lyonnais Women’s Team’s principal sponsors, starting with the 2019-2020 season. Mastercard also signed deals with some of Olympique Lyonnais’ players who become Mastercard brand ambassadors. Ada Hegerberg, the first woman to have ever received a Ballon d’Or, is joined by Wendie Renard, Olympique Lyonnais’ captain and former national team captain, Kadeisha Buchanan, Olympique

Lyonnais captain of Canadian national team, and Saki Kumagai, captain of Japan national team.

This partnership around the Women’s team reflects the confidence of one of the world leaders in the payment systems sector in the Olympique Lyonnais’ strategy and our ambition to achieve parity and balance in football.

This is part of our club’s DNA. We are truly honoured to have the support of major companies which share and live for these values and commit to them in the long-term. It is a massive recognition for our sports and for the track record our team has built; Thierry Sauvage, Olympique Lyonnais Managing Director.

“By investing significantly in women’s football, as a professional and influential sport, we have an opportunity to directly impact the lives of athletes and help build sustainable programs to which girls and women around the world can aspire,” said Raja Rajamannar, chief marketing and communications officer, Mastercard.

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NGLAND had a summer which could have seen them take a giant step towards an era they hope will see them compete at the pinnacle of world football.

Despite finishing third in the UEFA Nations League, England’s national side have been able to continue their learning curve – albeit the hard way towards international success.

Just 12 months ago, Gareth Southgate and his players were preparing for a World Cup more in hope than expectation – a youthful squad packed full of potential but also fighting to burst out of the malaise that had gripped the national side for a decade.

But a run to the World Cup semifinals in Russia, which was built on by victories over Spain and Croatia to seal a place in the UEFA Nations League finals, had suddenly brought the Three Lions to the edge of glory.

Football is a team game, but in captain Harry Kane they have a player who almost alone typifies what England were – and what they could be.

Here was a player who had shone at club level, but who for some reason had not performed on the big stage previously, having disappointed hugely at Euro 2016.

Kane was one of the players who had experienced the negative feeling that always surrounded England, right back to when the so-called Golden Generation had come up short time and again.

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And despite his unbelievable goalrecord in the run-up to Russia 2018 there were still plenty ready to doubt whether he could deliver, and if he was the right man to lead the country.

Kane blew those doubts away by scoring six goals at the World Cup to finish as leading scorer, as England defied all the critics with a brand of football which delighted globally and with an open approach that had the fans back home eating out of their hands.

And the striker, now rightly regarded as one of the best in the world at finding the net, admits 2018 was a huge year for the national side on and off the pitch.

Kane, 25, said: “You could say we’ve blown the shackles away.

“It’s been a long time since we reached the semi-final in a major tournament, we won a knockout game for the first time in a while, a penalty shootout as well.

“There were a lot of high-pressure situations where maybe in the past we wouldn’t have come through.

“We have no reason to fear anyone now. It is down to us to maintain that in years to come.”

Since returning from Russia, where they reached a first major semi-final since Euro 96, England took another important step by beating Spain and Croatia to book their place in the Nations League finals.

“We have no reason to fear anyone now”

All of a sudden there is a belief and purpose within the entire England set-up, with players looking relaxed and embracing the pressure instead of shrinking an hiding at the vital moment.

Not just that, England look a stronger squad than last year thanks to the emergence of young talents like Jadon Sancho, Declan Rice and Ben Chilwell.

There are more in the system too, a conveyor-belt of talent which is now the envy of world football.

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It is why there is genuine hope that the country is standing on the brink of a generation in which they are at last able to seriously challenge for the major honours – and why the first ever Nations League took on such huge importance to the country.

Kane added: “The more times we play in these types of games the more the fans are going to be happy and behind us and the better it will be for us all.

“We are in a great position for 2019 and hopefully we can take that into the Euros after that.

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“The World Cup felt like the start of something and that’s the most important thing. The summer was amazing but it was so, so important that we carried on.

“When we look back at the World Cup then there were performances in which we could have done better and the next motivation, the next step is putting that right. We’ve put in some big games – beating Spain away, Croatia at home.

“And it feels like we are still ticking those boxes, as we were doing in the summer, that will make us better.

Estádio do Dragão, Porto

UEFA Nations League Finals

Semi-finals Wednesday 5 June: Portugal 3 v Switzerland 1 (Estádio do Dragão, Porto) Thursday 6 June: Netherlands 3 v England 1 (AET, Estádio D. Afonso Henriques, Guimaraes)

Match for third place

Switzerland 0 v England 0 (England win 6-5 on penalties.)

Sunday 9 June: Estádio D. Afonso Henriques, Guimaraes.

Final

Portugal 1 v Netherlands 0 Sunday 9 June: Final Estádio do Dragão, Porto.

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HEN you have won pretty much every medal possible as a footballer you know you have made a mark in the game, but for Ivan Rakitic there are three players he believes stand head and shoulders above anyone else.

Rakitic has got the lot in his trophy cabinet: A Champions League and three La Liga titles with Barcelona (which is likely to be a fourth come the end of the 2018/19 season), a Europa League success with Sevilla and Swiss Cup with Basel.

Add to that a World Cup final appearance last year, and it is fair to say Rakitic should be ranked right up there when it comes to the best midfield players in the global game of his generation.

But for the 31-year-old there is a trio of players he believes everyone in the game should look to as the basis for what it takes to reach the top – Xavi, Andreas Iniesta and Sergio Busquets.

The likes of Lionel Messi , Neymar and Luis Suarez may get the majority of plaudits for Barca’s massive impact on the game over the past two decades yet it is that midfield behind them which has helped achieve massive things for club and country.

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Rakitic says: “I think they are the best midfields in history, it’s just to say they are really big players, but for me, bigger than the others, for how the way they live football.

The current boom England is experiencing in terms of young players coming through the system with huge potential has got the country excited about what the future holds.

“How the way what they are doing day by day to reach this level on the pitch, and also outside, of course. So, they are representing Barça 100% and to be with them, so close to them, you have to try to enjoy every minute with them.

Some are trying their luck overseas, while others are being chased by clubs on the continent in the belief they can be stars in the coming years.

“It was really special, they are also really open, they are really good guys, maybe there are not verbs to describe them in the best way, it was just to say: these guys are one hundred per cent football.

“I think all the other guys around the world, all people like the way how they... they don’t play football, they enjoy football, because you can see them on the pitch and you never have the feeling that they are doing something with a big stress or something.

“They are really enjoying every moment and that’s why they did it for maybe ten or fifteen years. For all midfield players, they are for sure big idols.”

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But whatever happens, England will have some way to go before they can match what Croatia have seen in two of their players running things for the two biggest clubs in Spanish football.

While Rakitic is at the heart of all that is good for Barca, his compatriot Luka Modric has been the main man at Real Madrid – winning four Champions League titles, La Liga and claiming the Ballon d’Or last year.

Despite being huge rivals at club level, Rakitic and Modric remain close – aware that they are breaking new ground for football in Croatia.

He added: “Sometimes we don’t have to explain with words what we are speaking about. I think my relationship with Luka is really special.

“We have played for twelve years together in the national team and also now for six or seven years in LaLiga together, it’s really special of course.

“He’s looking for his team and I try to give my best for Barça. And the best one has to win. I’m really happy for Luka what he can do for himself, but not for his team.

“It’s really special for a country like Croatia to have two players in the two biggest teams in the world, so it’s really special for us and we will try to enjoy and to show all the people that Croatia have big players.”

Rakitic flourished over four years at Sevilla before joining Barcelona in 2014, and he admits it was tough to leave a club and city he felt so settled in. But like many players, it was the need to test himself at the very highest level, to push himself out of the comfort zone, which ultimately led him to make the switch to the Nou Camp and he has not looked back since.

“For me the club [Sevilla] is on the highest level, but also the city, the people there… it’s just to be like at home.

“I had a really special feeling, I’m so thankful to all the people there, and for me the city and all the people there they have a special part in my heart to be serious.

“It was special for me but it was also really important to do the next step and then, to have this opportunity to be part of the Barça family it was really important for me, and I think it was an opportunity to say: it’s the moment, I have to do it.

“My four and a half years now in Barça are also special and I’m so happy just to say that it was the perfect way, and if I have taken again this decision of course will be again the same one and I hope to be more years to come for me.”

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YAYA TOURE has accused Fifa and Uefa of failing black footballers around the world with their lack of action over racism.

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anchester City legend Toure claims the game's governing body do nothing to eradicate the problem from the sport until high-profile incidents take place.

The former Fifa anti-racism taskforce member believes no-one is taking the lead, and says they only swing into action when someone like Raheem Sterling calls them out.

Toure, 35, told the Mirror: "They sit and they have their coffee, their wine.

“Then they hear a case like Raheem happening and they jump on the phone saying: ‘We have to have a meeting! We have to do something!’

“It shouldn’t work that way.

We have to be proactive.

Something that is seen.

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"We have to be working before that kind of situation with Raheem is happening.”

Fifa disbanded their taskforce three years ago, claiming it had fulfilled its obligations, but the game is still littered with shocking incidents of racism even now.

At the time, Toure criticised the decision and warned it would come back to haunt him – and after a series of awful incidents at home and abroad this season he has been proved right.

The former Barcelona and Ivory Coast star added: “They’ll probably ask me to come and do this or that. But I’ve been there for how many years. I’ve been there.

“

We have to be working before that kind of situation with Raheem is happening.

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“People only start to see it when something happens.”

Toure was speaking after receiving an award for campaigning on the issue from anti-discrimination group Fare (Football Against Racism in Europe).

But his recognition came in the wake of the racism England stars were subjected to in their Euro 2020 qualifying win in Montenegro.

And it also comes in a season which has seen a series of shocking incidents of discrimination being seen at English club grounds.

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ONE IN A MILLION The Trevor Francis Story

By Trevor Francis with Keith Dixon Compelling, entertaining and refreshingly honest, One in a Million is the autobiography of Trevor Francis, the subject of the first £1 million transfer fee in football history – a record for all time. As a 16 year old, Francis set a record as the youngest player to score four goals in a match, an early indication of an exceptional talent. And so his unique career journey would continue to unfold, encountering a seemingly endless succession of superlatives, larger-than-life characters and astonishing events.

Trevor played professionally not only in England but also in the USA and Scotland, in Italy and Australia. He gained 52 England caps, and won the European Cup on his debut in the competition. He played his part in the English revolution at Glasgow Rangers and managed QPR, Crystal Palace, Sheffield Wednesday and Birmingham City.

Thrillingly, Trevor takes the reader with him into dressing rooms, into boardrooms and on to the field of play. He has a true gift for memorable detail, providing a wealth of revelations and remarkable stories.

The autobiography of Trevor Francis, the first £1 million footballer. Read One in a Million and you will discover: The language that turned the air blue when the now Baroness Brady discovered Trevor had sold her husband to West Bromwich Albion The name of the football club chairman who asked to be selected as a substitute against his favourite team Why Brian Clough ordered two buckets of cold water to be sent to the away dressing room at Hillsborough Which West End gentleman’s club was booked for a Friday night board meeting on behalf of Birmingham City Who tried to fix a Serie A match at half-time during a game Why Brian Clough challenged Trevor to a tennis match in Valencia

Trevor Francis collaborated with Keith Dixon to write his life story, One in a Million. Keith is the author of three previous footballers’ autobiographies: Gil Merrick, Jackie Sewell and Paul Robinson’s Robbo – Unsung Hero. He is a regular contributor to the Late Tackle football magazine and has writing credits on a number of other football-related publications and websites.

Hardcover: 256 pages Publisher: Pitch Publishing Ltd (15 April 2019) ISBN-10: 1785314998 ISBN-13: 978-1785314995 RRP: £19.99

The prank involving Gianluca Vialli, Graeme Souness and the swans of Milan The story of the penalty shoot-out between Paul Furlong and rock legend Rod Stewart

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OMEN’S FOOTBALL has taken centre stage this summer with the eighth FIFA World Cup being staged in France at a time when the sport is finally getting the major financial backing it needs to thrive.

Over the past few years the media coverage of the women’s game has started to gain a footing, to the extent it is now a regular fixture on television screens and across the pages of most of the national newspapers.

Yet, while the exposure has grown hugely over the past decade, the business side of the game has failed to follow suit – until now.

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Finally the major global corporations are coming forward with sponsorship deals which are putting the structure on a sound financial footing, and players themselves are being rewarded for their huge commitments which for many have seen them dedicate a life to the game without being paid.

Adidas’ head of global brands Eric Liedtke said the company wanted to help encourage the next generation of sportswomen.

It is not a process without problems, with members of the US Women’s National Team currently involved in a legal fight with their own federation demanding more parity with wages compared to the men’s side, particularly on the basis they have been more successful than the male team. Their battle will certainly be heard much louder having been crowned as World Champions in France.

Social responsibility is a fine line to take, but make no mistake, this money is unlikely to have been so willingly coughed up if the sums didn’t add up. Businesses know women’s football is enjoying a boom time and they can see it makes sense to be on board.

But gradually the pieces are falling into place globally where female athletes get the same recognition as the male players. Adidas have announced that their sponsored players within the USA team, who won the tournament in France this summer, will receive the exact same bonus payments as any of their male sponsored players.

He said: “We believe in inspiring and enabling the next generation of female athletes, creators and leaders through breaking barriers.”

Nike made huge play of their recent kit launches for their sides competing in the tournament, designing separate bespoke kits for all the nations. The women’s teams now have identities in their own right, rather than being an add-on for national associations.

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Domestically, the professional game in England is driving growth across Britain both in participation and supporter numbers. Now sponsors are coming on board too.

Barclays recently announced a £10 million three-year deal with the FA to become title sponsors of the Women’s Super League, including a prize-money pot of £500,000.

Until now, winners of the WSL have not received a prize.

“It’s a real landmark moment in the development of the women’s game,” the FA’s director of the women’s professional game Kelly Simmons said.

“We obviously want to get more fans and more revenue behind the game, making sure it’s secure and sustainable for the future.

“But also the investment in schools makes sure lots of girls get the chance to play football, which is our pipeline for the future.”

Mars came forward with a sponsorship package last year, extending their agreement with the FA for the men’s team to take in the women’s game. Budweiser and Lucozade have also followed suit to bolster the coffers.

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And in a major step for the game across the whole of the UK, high street retailer Boots has signed a three-year deal to sponsor all the five national sides which runs through to the end of the 2021 European Championships which will be held in England.

That comes off the back of Visa agreeing a separate deal with Uefa to sponsor the European competitions in the sport.

Former Arsenal and England striker Kelly Smith said: “It’s massive, massive news,” said Smith, who retired in 2017 after a 13-year career.

“Even when I was playing, I was hoping a big brand would come on board and help promote and develop the women’s game.

“It’s in such a healthy place now and you can see the interest growing year-by-year.”

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PHIL NEVILLE claims England can dominate world football over the next few years – in the men’s and women’s game.

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eville led his Lionesses into the World Cup this summer knowing that despite the outcome they have shown they have a serious chance of being crowned worldchampions in the near future.

Victory in the SheBelieves Cup earlier this year had established England as major contenders to win in France this summer, bolstered by a draw against defending champions USA in the round-robin competition plus a friendly win over a strong Brazil.

And Lionesses boss Neville is not interested in playing down the chances to ease the pressure on his players going into the coming years. Instead, he claims the country has a right to expect success from his players and from Gareth Southgate’s side from now on.

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“

...we’ve got an unbelievable next three or four years...

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Neville said: “We’ve got players that have dominated youth tournaments for the last two, three or four years.

“I think there is a generation of footballers coming through on both sides that can dominate world football.

“I truly believe that. You look at the men’s and women’s side, we’ve probably got 8 to 10 world-class players in my women’s senior team.”

England’s Under-19 and Under-20 men’s teams won their respective World Cups in 2017 while in 2018, the women’s Under-20s finished third - their best finish at a World Cup. “It’s not just a manager who’s had a good tournament shouting his mouth off, it’s actual facts,” he added.

“We have a youth system now on both sides that has been successful and used to winning things. Probably me and Gareth Southgate have got the best job because we’re then getting them at their peak years.

“The future for English women’s football is absolutely amazing.

“I’ve got to say, we’ve got a set of under-20 players that in 2021 or around then will be the best team in the world.

“Those players in another 12 months’ time will get an opportunity to hopefully go to an Olympics or the Euros.

“As an England senior women’s team, we’ve got an unbelievable next three or four years with this generation coming through.”

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Rent | Lease | Buy | Sell

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he life of a professional sportsperson brings many luxuries, including the opportunity to drive some of the world’s most prestigious car brands. The AMT group of companies, founded by Neil McGawley in 1995, is a business that’s also driven by a passion for cars.

There are many milestones in AMTs history which underpin this passion.

AMT Contract Hire and Leasing was the founding business in the group’s portfolio in 1995 and with the first car ever leased by the business, in fact Neil himself, being a Mitsubishi 3000 GT. He also quotes the rarest car ever leased to still be the iconic MercedesBenz SLR McLaren, a 3.4 second, 208mph grand touring supercar.

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AMT’s rental business which was set up in 1999 was the next to be established. It now has sites covering the whole of the UK and a 2,000 strong fleet which is the envy of many a car enthusiast, boasting brands such as Bentley, Ferrari, Lamborghini and Porsche as well as Mercedes, Audi, Jaguar and Land Rover. AMT is also Tesla’s largest commercial customer in the UK with a growing fleet of the Model S and Model X, soon to be joined by the Model 3.

Late 2017 saw the launch of what could be described as the jewel in their crown, a state-of-the-art specialist cars showroom in the centre of Leeds housing more than 50 cars from the aforementioned brands, all hand-picked by the expert buying team for their history and desirability. They also work with a number of customers whose exacting requirements require help in sourcing and supply which AMT are able to do through their stock or extensive manufacturer and dealer group network.

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Neil McGawley, Managing Director of AMT comments: “When I first started AMT, my vision had always been to provide individuals and businesses the opportunity to access any vehicle for any length of time whatever their individual circumstances, a service you don’t often find with a traditional dealership or leasing company.

“By bringing together a rental, leasing and sales business under one group over the last 24 years and by partnering with reputable funders as well as developing our own unique financing solutions, we can do this with the specific needs of our customers determining the service we provide.”

And it’s AMT’s understanding of the sports professional that really sets them apart from traditional dealerships and leasing companies. They understand the many reasons why traditional methods of acquiring vehicles don’t support this lifestyle.

Footballers are known for their love of prestige and luxury vehicles but lifestyles can be transient, moving from one club to another every few years with many players coming from Europe or further afield. This means that the outright purchase of a vehicle can be financially inefficient, particularly if the period of ownership is going to be limited to a few years so selling on that vehicle is most likely going to be at a loss.

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Leasing is a more feasible option but a lack of credit history or time in the UK may close many traditional routes to funding the vehicle they want, particularly prestige and luxury vehicles. And with many players holding selfemployed status, the barriers can mount.

Neil McGawley continues: “We recognise this at AMT which is why we have developed one of the most comprehensive ranges of acquisition and funding methods against what we believe is the widest range of vehicles available in the UK. “We are able to take a much fairer and more objective view of someone’s status, whilst ensuring we treat customers fairly. We focus on someone’s ability to afford any vehicle commitment over traditional credit scoring methods and in addition to offering short and long term rental solutions, we lease for as little as 12 or 18 months right up to five years.

It doesn’t matter whether it is a Mercedes A Class, Range Rover, Ferrari or even a modified or converted vehicle, we work

hard to ensure any professional footballer or their family get into the vehicle of their choice, for however long they need it.”

As well as individuals, AMT work with businesses across the UK consulting on various company vehicle and fleet issues including financing, company car scheme design and supply and cars to support employee probation and short-term contractual work.

One of the very unique things about AMT is that it isn’t biased towards a particular acquisition method or held to targets against any particular manufacturer brand. It can work with a business to understand its organisational and financial objectives and provide a blended solution from one day to 5 years.

That said, the nature of the AMT fleet and long-standing relationships with premium and prestige manufacturer brands make it a perfect fit for the likes of the professional services and wealth management sector.

Premium, prestige and luxury vehicle specialists Flexible vehicle and fleet funding from 12 months to five years Daily and Long-term rental Specialist car sales New and used vehicle sourcing – any manufacturer, any model Vehicle and fleet purchasing www.amtauto.co.uk | Telephone: 0113 333 9298

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PSCALING a car is becoming an increasingly popular way for people to ensure their car is unique and footballers are among the growing list of clients heading for the bodyshop.

Whether it is the latest Mercedes G Wagon or a Bentley Benteyga, some people still want their own little piece of individual style added on.

That is where the specialists come into their own, and Milton Keynes based Urban Automotive are becoming an increasingly popular destination for bespoke car styling.

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Having started out life remodelling and styling over 250 Defenders, Urban evolved as a business to take on not only the Range Rovers and Land Rovers but also other luxury brands.

And having started on a small scale they have recently moved into a new site which allows them to either modify or build from scratch a fully customised car for their clients.

Managing director Simon Dearn said: “There are two ways a customer can work with us. Firstly, you could bring in and convert your existing car, where they can work with our designers, send it to us and we will take all the bumpers, pre-mouldings, wheels etc and re-model it up to spec.”

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c a r s “But we also build cars for people, so they can buy the entire thing. If you want to kill two birds with one stone, you can buy a pre-built car from us.

“We do everything from the aesthetics to performance.

A customer could order a car from a dealership and send it to us or we would order a full car from a dealership ourselves.

“They can order that car from us as well because we have a good enough relationship with manufacturers to do that.

“We try to give people the best service possible. We work with a lot of high net worth clients, celebrities and sportspeople. We deal with high end clients and are used to treating them as such.

“The new facility just off junction 14 of the M1 is designed to help improve the luxury service and profile customers are used to enjoying.

Unlike others, Urban have opened up the workshops so clients can visit and see the experts getting to work on their cars, so they can be as immersed in the process as much as they want.”

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Dearn added: “Our new facility actually enables people to come here and see it being built or modelled in a relaxed atmosphere.

We are not a typical car garage.

We have an open door policy where people can come and see their car being built. Once it arrives, they can come in and watch it being stripped down and prepared for the overhaul. Those who have opted for it can even look on as their new interior is installed.

They can really see their car in build rather than just parting with their money, handing it over and then coming back to pick it up.”

The usual time it takes for a full refit is usually anything between two-four weeks from the factory car being delivered to us.

That includes everything from the interiors, wheels and other parts being manufactured and produced in house.

Our body work is all carbon fibre, everything is UK made, not cheap parts from overseas.

Made, manufactured, styled everything is in house.

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Volvo targets the business world with launch of new S60 – the first Volvo car made in the USA

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olvo Cars, the premium car maker, today revealed the new S60 midsize premium sports saloon at the company’s first US manufacturing plant in Charleston, South Carolina.

The new Charleston plant is officially inaugurated today. The combined car launch and factory opening reinforce Volvo Cars’ commitment to the US, an important market for the company and its new premium sports saloon. The new S60 is the first Volvo car made in the US.

“The new S60 is one of the most exciting Volvo cars we’ve ever made,” said Håkan Samuelsson, President and Chief Executive of Volvo Cars. “It is a true driver’s car that gives us a strong position in the US and China saloon markets, creating more growth opportunities for Volvo Cars.”

The new S60 is the first Volvo car to be sold without a diesel offer, signalling the company’s industry-leading commitment to electrification and a long-term future beyond the traditional combustion engine. In 2017, Volvo Cars was the first global car maker to announce its strategy that from 2019 all new models will be electrified.

Two turbocharged and supercharged plug-in hybrid petrol engines will be available in the new S60: Volvo’s T6 Twin Engine AWD plug-in hybrid that generates a combined 340hp, and the award-winning T8 Twin Engine AWD plug-in hybrid that delivers 400hp. Volvo’s proven T5 and T6 petrol engines will be available at launch in selected markets.

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In a first for the segment, customers can access the new S60 via Volvo Cars’ new premium subscription service, Care

by Volvo, which offers car access with no down payment via a monthly flat-fee subscription rather than ownership. Care by Volvo makes having a car as transparent, easy and hassle-free as having a phone.

“The active chassis and drive modes deliver excellent control and an engaged performance that makes this a driver’s car,” said Henrik Green, Senior Vice President for Research and Development at Volvo Cars.

“It also brings the acclaimed technology from our 90 series and other 60 series cars into this segment, making it one of the best sports saloons on the market.”

The new S60 shares Volvo Cars’ own Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) platform, safety technology and infotainment system with the new V60 premium mid-size estate, launched earlier this year, as well as the topof-the-line 90 series cars and award-winning XC60, all of which have achieved industryleading safety ratings. This makes the new S60 one of the safest cars on the road.

The City Safety with Autobrake technology assists the driver in avoiding potential collisions, and is the only system on the market to recognise pedestrians, cyclists and large animals. In a world first for the mid-size

saloon segment, City Safety now also engages auto braking to mitigate oncoming collisions.

The optional Pilot Assist system – which supports the driver with steering, acceleration and braking on well-marked roads up to 80mph – has been upgraded with improved cornering performance. The S60 also includes Run-off Road Mitigation, Oncoming Lane Mitigation and other steering-assistance systems. The optional Cross Traffic Alert with autobrake further enhances safety for people inside and outside the car.

Volvo Cars’ Sensus Connect infotainment system is fully compatible with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and 4G, and keeps drivers connected at all times.

The intuitive control is a tablet-style touchscreen interface that combines car functions, navigation, connected services and in-car entertainment apps.

Electrified versions of the new S60 also offer a performance handling upgrade called Polestar Engineered – developed by Volvo Cars’ electric performance arm, Polestar.

Polestar Engineered is available exclusively on the T8 Twin Engine plug-in hybrid and is a complete offer that upgrades the car’s wheels, brakes, suspension and engine control unit, boosting the S60 T8’s combined output to 415hp.

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NIKE AND UEFA JOIN FORCES TO GROW WOMEN’S FOOTBALL Three-year partnership sees Nike become official ball supplier to UEFA competitions

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ike has reinforced its commitment to the growth of women’s football by agreeing a landmark partnership with UEFA.

The three-year deal sees Nike become an official partner of UEFA Women’s Football and the match ball supplier for UEFA Women’s competitions, including the Women’s Champions League and the Women’s Euro 2021.

Women’s football has enjoyed rapid growth in profile, popularity and participation in recent years and Nike and UEFA believe that by joining forces they can help fuel this rise.

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Bert Hoyt, Nike’s VP/GM EMEA, said: “Nike and UEFA share a common ambition, and that is for women’s football to realise its enormous potential. UEFA’s competitions represent the elite of club and international football, and through our unparalleled innovation and support of the women’s game – from grassroots to elite level – we will grow football for the next generation of female players.”

A Nike ball will first be seen in a UEFA match when the Champions League reaches the quarter final stage in late March.

As well as being used in the Women’s Euro 2021, a Nike ball will also be used at the yearly European Under-17 and Under-19 Championships and the Women’s Futsal Euro in 2021.

Meanwhile, as an official partner, Nike will support the Together #weplaystrong initiative, UEFA’s fiveyear plan to cement football as the leading female team sport in Europe.

Nadine Kessler, UEFA’s Head of Women’s Football, believes this partnership will prove to be an important milestone for women’s football in Europe.

“We are delighted to have such a prestigious global brand such as Nike, who are committed to equality within sport and renowned for empowering female athletes all over the world,” said Kessler.

“We look forward to working closely with Nike to continue to evolve women’s football via our competitions and inspire more people to enjoy the sport, whether they are watching or participating.”

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ENGINEERED HERE TO TAKE YOU ANYWHERE. Nobis Spring’19 Campaign

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ORONTO, ON – Coinciding with the launch of the Spring’19 collection, Nobis, the Toronto-based technical outerwear brand presents its latest campaign reinforcing the label’s modern aesthetic and functional foundation.

Partnering with renowned Canadian photographer Dan Lim, the campaign features the latest collection of men’s/ women’s transitional outerwear, and continues to celebrate individuality, and uncompromising personal style.

This season’s feature pushes the narrative around the urban adventurer and firmly positions the brand as an outerwear specialist. One with a repertoire that is engineered to take you anywhere.

Nobis Spring 2019 collection imbues classic silhouettes with refreshed design and fabrication techniques. From lightweight cotton/nylons to polished lustre of bonded 3L membrane and coated taffeta, the collection blends the modern-day essentials your wardrobe needs in a style and fabrication your lifestyle expects.

Look for fit-and-flare trenches, cocoon macs, bubble-back windbreakers and streamlined car coats that thrive in the season, accented by a palette of warm neutrals, inky blues and dusty greys.

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The collection also includes an assortment of accessories including jersey ballcaps, cotton/nylon sunhats, and crosshatch bucket hats.

About nobis In 2007 “Nobis” – Latin for “us” was launched. Nobis is a globally renowned Canadian premium outerwear and accessory brand that embraces the conviction that trends may come and go but style, function and quality will remain forever timeless. Collections are designed for the ever changing global winters, unpredictable seasonal conditions and the growing need for fashionable and functional outerwear. Under InnoVision Holdings Corporation, Nobis continues to test new boundaries in the fashion outerwear and accessories markets at a rapidly growing rate. In 2010, nobis was selected as one of the three finalists of the Markham Board of Trade Global Business Excellence Award. Nobis is currently available in over 35 countries, in North America, Europe and Asia including US, UK, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Czech Republic, Austria, Japan, Korea, and of course, our home Canada.

Visit www.nobis.com

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Its Time to Start Ballin Each bottle is finished individually in chrome then polished before the metal chrome labels are carefully applied by hand! Each Bottle is unique, inspected & hand finished.

Each bottle passes through the hands of 7 different ballers personnel.

BALLERS BRUT CHAMPAGNE A skilful blend of three Champagne grape varieties with a focus on Pinot, including 30% reserve wines, and aged over 36 months on lees. Ballers Brut is fresh and exciting on the nose with elegant floral aromas and hints of citrus fruit and hazelnut. The same delightful freshness continues on the initial palate then evolves into a wonderful balance of richness and uplifting minerality which lasts and lasts.

Facebook: @ballerschampagne Twitter: @ballerschampagn Instagram: @ballerschampagne

BALLERS ROSE CHAMPAGNE

BALLERS BLANC DE BLANCS

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1MORE Dual Driver BT ANC In-Ear Headphones global.1more.com

MW65 Active Noise cancelling wireless headphones £449 masterdynamic.co.uk

Harman Kardon Citation Towers £2,199.99 www.harmankardon.co.uk

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NEXTBASE Series 2 Range

522GW, £149.99 global.1more.com

RedPaddle

Cool bag £159.95 - £179.99 redoriginal.com

Vuze XR camera

£399 vuze.camera

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ANCHESTER CITY, Arsenal and Liverpool have joined forces with global giants Intel to launch a revolutionary new tech service that is set to change the face of football in England.

The Premier League trio has entered into partnership with Intel's True View software, which allows users the chance to get so far immersed into match coverage they can actually see what the players on the pitch are looking at.

Every second of a game can be viewed in Matrix-style 360 degree which the clubs hope will provide even greater possibilities for their fans across the world to get closer to the stars.

The deal struck by City, Arsenal and Liverpool means they

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will also provide the stunning new footage to Sky and BT Sport when they are covering matches at their stadiums to help with their live analysis.

The software is so good that replays can be frozen in time, spun around and scrolled to achieve the perfect angle to see if offside and penalty decisions are correct.

And the clubs also hope they can utilise their footage to help their managers take their coaching sessions to a whole new level.

Intel is in the process of installing 38 separate 5k cameras – four times the quality of HD – at the Etihad, Emirates and Anfield along with kilometres of fibre-optic cable.

Next month they will then begin to provide their groundbreaking new footage to each of the clubs to use both for their own coaching needs and also to share among supporters across their websites and digital channels.

It means the days of the traditional freeze-frame replays are set to become a thing of the past for match analysis on television and at the training ground.

And for supporters, they will be able to decide to assume the viewpoint of players during matches by seeing exactly what they could at any moment of a game.

The software combines the images of the 38 cameras to provide an all-round display of the pitch and the players using voxels - pixels with three dimensional volume.

That in turn throws up the chance to spool around the picture to get a different angle on key moments, while a laser wall can also be superimposed to measure where players are on the pitch – compared to a set point – throwing up the prospect of even greater clarity of highlighting right and wrong offside calls.

James Carwana, vice president and general manager of Intel Sports, said: “Immersive media experiences continue to create more opportunities for sports teams and leagues to put the fan experience first.

“With the expansion of Intel True View into more stadiums with Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City, we have the chance to transform the experience for fans of one of the world’s top sports leagues with our leading and differentiated volumetric technology.”

Peter Silverstone, Arsenal’s commercial director, said: “We are always looking to find new ways to bring our 780 million fans and followers around the world closer to the action and this partnership will give our fans a whole new view of the game.

“The technology effectively allows a supporter to step into the boots of players and see the game from their perspective.”

Billy Hogan, chief commercial officer of Liverpool, said: “Intel True View

enables fans to immerse themselves even further into the game and has the power to add a new depth to match highlights, which can significantly improve the supporter experience.

“This technology has the potential to add a new dynamic to how people interact with the game and create different conversations with our fans around the world.”

Damian Willoughby, senior vice president of Partnerships at City Football Group, said: “We love to be first, both on and off the pitch, so we are delighted to pioneer this game-changing technology at the Etihad Stadium.

“We are sure that City fans, and football fans around the world, will love watching beautiful football from every angle.”

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yperX, the gaming division of Kingston Technology Company Inc., today announced the signing of Rapahël Varane, the French professional footballer, as a HyperX Gaming Brand Ambassador.

Varane is currently playing as a centreback for Spanish football club Real Madrid, as well as for the French national team. Despite being only 25 years old, he won his fourth UEFA Champions League trophy in 2018, making him the youngest player in history to win the competition four times.

When not on the pitch, Varane is an eager gamer, playing games such as FIFA, Call of Duty and Fortnite. With his signing, he joins HyperX’s growing family of international ambassadors and devoted gamers such as German footballer, Marco Reus, Tottenham and England footballer, Dele Alli, awardwinning rapper, Post Malone and legendary Twitch Streamer, Shroud.

“I am thrilled to become part of the HyperX family and to join this amazing group of talented ambassadors. HyperX has some exciting projects planned for 2019 and it is great to be part of this brand and community”, said Varane.

“Gaming is a part of my everyday life; it helps me disconnect when I’m not

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training or playing, I’m therefore thrilled to be representing a brand in this space with such quality products”.

As part of the deal signed with HyperX, Varane will feature in the different marketing and branding campaigns planned by the company for 2019.

“With the recent announcement of Marco Reus as brand ambassador and now Raphaël Varane, the HyperX family is expanding. We want to show that no matter which platform you use to game; mobile, PC or console, we are all gamers”, said Paul Leaman, Vice-President HyperX EMEA. “This is just the beginning of 2019, with lots of announcements to come during this year, to help develop the HyperX brand and grow our business”.

HyperX

Raphaël Varane HyperX is an avid supporter of esports and the wider gaming community, having developed high-performance PC and gaming products for over 16 years.

HyperX recently expanded its awardwinning line-up of PC accessories to focus on the console gamers with the launch of their first Cloud for PS4, a Sony licensed gaming headset. The brand also has an Xbox licensed headset the CloudX and most recently launched their first in-ear headset, Cloud Earbuds aimed at Nintendo Switch and mobile gamers.

Raphaël Varane Joins HyperX Family as brand ambassador The football player has signed a contract for two years with the brand

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Enjoy Tranquility.

Anytime.

Anywhere.

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1MORE Dual Driver BT ANC In-Ear Headphones

In addition to its excellent sound quality, 1MORE’s Dual Driver BT ANC In-Ear Headphones provide more freedom and tranquility for listening to music in a variety of settings. It ensures rich, pure music even in noisy environments like: flying, crowded public transportation, noisy streets, loud meeting rooms, and more.

Voice Enhancement Option Our INC (Incisive Noise Cancellation) technology lets in the important sounds while blocking out the annoying sounds. Now you will never miss important announcements or conversations while still enjoying peace of mind.

Public Transportation Filters out background noises for a serene listening experience on the go.

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Vuze XR camera

£399

Upgrade your holiday snapshots and capture your kids’ milestones in a unique way! With the touch of a button, the Vuze XR transforms from a 360° camera to a VR180 camera, enabling content creators to spontaneously tell any story, from every angle. The unique dual camera design of the new VUZE XR is portable, easy to use, and seamlessly integrates two innovative detection systems into one handheld device. It makes it easy for content creators, families, social media enthusiasts, globetrotters, and adventurers to stream or share their content on mobile phones, computers and VR headsets. vuze.camera/buy/vuze-xr-camera

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MW65 Active Noise cancelling w i r e l e s s h e a d p h o n e s £449 Master & Dynamic has taken the time to create an Active Noise-Cancelling technology that doesn’t compromise the signature sound quality you’ve come to expect from us. Built for Life On-the-Go: The ultimate companion for your daily listening or travels, the MW65’s are our lightest over-ear headphones and feature custom 40mm Beryllium drivers and Active NoiseCancelling technology to produce an exceptional acoustic experience. masterdynamic.co.uk

Harman Kardon Citation Towers

£2,199.99

The Harman Kardon Citation Towers are premium hi-fi smart speakers with the audiophile in mind. Easy to use with its full-color LCD touch screen, Citation Towers blend innovation in home audio with attention to detail in design, allowing for sophisticated looks and authentic concert-quality sound. The Google Assistant brings convenient voice control to your Citation Tower for hands-free help around the home. www.harmankardon.co.uk

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Series 2 Range Nextbase is the UK’s leading manufacturer of Dash Cams, and the Series 2 range (launched 13 May) has upgraded on its award-winning tech and image quality, with the new models now including inbuilt Alexa for more hands-free freedom, in-built SOS mode and impressive video recording capabilities – a first for Dash Cams. There are also additional modules that allow for consumers to customise the Dash Cam setup in their vehicle.

Currently the most popular tech consumer product available, Dash Cams have been outselling computers, gaming consoles and other popular tech products for many years. They out-sell Sat Navs and are the most popular in-car gadget.

Drivers who spend a lot of time in their cars stand a lot to gain from a high quality, premium Dash Cam and it is no secret that there can be victimisation and discrimination when involved in road accidents, particularly for young drivers, female drivers, and also older drivers.

Protecting against unwanted shunts and bumps, they are a great asset for drivers who want peace of mind and a chance to save on their insurance premiums, through many of the UK’s Dash Cam inclusive policies. All of Nextbase’s Dash Cams are endorsed by the AA so there is a model for every motorist’s need. The products are easy to install and record on a loop, with automatic file protection in case of a traffic incident.

At the higher end of the range, we have the 522GW. It records in stunning 1440p HD, ensuring the footage is crystal clear, with the 140° ultra-wide viewing angle capturing the entire road ahead. The 522GW has a higher GPS accuracy, and contains bluetooth connectivity and Wi-fi video-sharing features.

In addition to this exciting range detailed above, there are modules that can be attached to the 322GW, 422GW, and 522GW Dash Cams for a tailored system, unique to your needs. A Rear Cam and RearFacing Cam allow for drivers to customise the Dash Cam setup in their vehicles.

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522GW, £149.99

RedPaddle £159.95 - £179.99 Designed by active lifestyle brand, Red Original the cool bag is being cited as a real game changer on the market. Constructed to keep contents colder for longer than you ever thought possible, the bag features a totally waterproof YKK Aquaseal Zip, meaning water can’t get in or out; plus drop it in the sea and it’ll float, and the insides will stay totally dry. Ideal for picnics, days at the beach, festivals, travelling or camping trips and it even holds 54 ice cold cans of beer!

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For Baselworld 2019, Patek Philippe revealed refined reinterpretations of popular ladies’ and men’s pieces as well as brand new watches.

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ne of the highlights this year is the Ref. 5212A-001 Calatrava Weekly Calendar, an innovative complication: the weekly calendar, a semi-integrated mechanism displaying the current week number, in addition to the month, day and date. It is also the only steel Calatrava in the current Patek Philippe collection, with a silvery opaline dial and with five hands from the centre. Another special feature is the typography of the letters and numbers on the dial, based on the handwriting of one of the manufacture’s designers.

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Patek Philippe revisits the Ref. 5905R-001 Annual Calendar Chronograph, which unites two complications highly prized amongst connoisseurs: a selfwinding flyback chronograph and a Patek Philippe patented Annual Calendar. The manufacturer is now further enriching its collection with this new version in rose gold with a brown sunburst dial, grading to black at the periphery.

Additionally, the manufacturer aesthetically evolved several flagship models in its men’s collection, endowing them with new and unique looks. The Ref. 5235/50R001 Annual Calendar Regulator now in rose gold is paired with a two-tone dial in graphite and ebony-black with a vertical satin finish and white transfer-printed indications. This reference is the only watch in the collection featuring a regulator-style display.

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A manifestation of classic design, the Ref. 5172G001 Chronograph has a new case with vintage nuances and a reworked dial, endowing it with a new white gold case with round guilloched pushers and three-tier lugs. Its subtle vintage allure is underscored by a sapphire-crystal “box” glass. The dial also sports an all-new look with a blue background and contrast luminescent white gold applied Arabic numerals and hands.

The ladies’ timepieces also stand out with many refined enhancements. The Ref. 7118/1200A Ladies’ Automatic Nautilus in steel with diamond-set bezel. The watch is presented in a larger diameter, 35.2 mm instead of 33.6 mm in three dial colours: blue opaline, silvery opaline and grey opaline grading to black at the periphery. The steel bracelet comes with the Patek Philippe patented fold-over clasp, endowed with a new adjustment system, enabling the wearer to gain between two to four mm of extra bracelet length for increased comfort.

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The Ref. 5726/1A-014 Nautilus Annual Calendar, Moon Phases emphasizes casual elegance with a new blue dial. The steel Nautilus, endowed with an Annual Calendar and moon-phase display, now features a new blue dial inspired from the dial colour of the original Nautilus model of 1976. Horizontal embossing and subtle grading from blue to black at the dial’s periphery create a powerful yet refined aesthetic that perfectly complements the sheen of the metal.

The Ref. 5168G-010 Aquanaut “Jumbo” underscores its youthfully dynamic style with a model in khaki green. The dial’s finely embossed checkerboard pattern provides a distinctive backdrop for the applied Arabic numerals, applied five-minute markers and baton-style hour and minute hands, all in white-gold with a luminescent coating. The rounded octagonal case and bezel combines polished and satin finishes.

The Ref. 7300/1450R-001 Twenty~4 Automatic is the latest addition to Patek Philippe’s range of ladies’ watches. A new haute joaillerie version in rose gold manifests timeless elegance. The dial, bezel, crown and bracelet are paved with diamonds presented in a “random” or “snow” setting.

These timepieces are only a selection of the new models showcased at Baselworld 2019, to view the entire collection please visit patek.com

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Alpina’s diving history goes on with the new

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he new edition of the Seastrong Diver 300 remains faithful to the distinctive design that has made the model so recognizable over the years: an oversized case with strong lines, luminous indexes and a unidirectional bezel.

Directly inspired from the brand’s heritage, the new Seastrong Diver 300 is in the perfect continuity of Alpina’s last century timepieces, namely the 1960s Seastrong “10”.

At the time, the model was already capable of reaching depths of 200m/660ft and built to resist extreme conditions.

The Seastrong Diver 300 presents a brand new 44m titanium or bronze PVD coated case, with either a grey, black or navy blue 60-minute unidirectional bezel and a dark brown, grey or navy blue dial which highly contrasts with the large luminous indexes and hands.

The triangle at 12 o’clock is a wink to the brand’s legendary logo.

Finally, the date window is featured at 3 o’clock and the screw-in crown offers an added security to sustain the timepiece’s high water-resistance while diving.

The watch is delivered on a vintage leather strap with an additional rubber strap.

An ideal combination for both daily wear and performance.

Hard to find a better value for money for such an emblematic watch.

The design of the new Alpina Seastrong Diver 300 provides optimal diving-time readability and stands out thanks to its features and functional beauty, turning it into a beautiful and masculine piece to be worn in and out of the water.

Suggested retail price: 1,295 EUR

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Great Barrier Reef Limited Edition III Oris’s third watch created in support of Great Barrier Reef conservation is made in partnership with the Reef Restoration Foundation. It features a gradient blue dial and an aqua blue ceramic bezel, recalling the colours of the reef waters. It’s based on Oris’s Aquis and features a small seconds and circular date window. Limited to 2,000 pieces.

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Clean Ocean Limited Edition The Oris Clean Ocean Limited Edition has been create to highlight the threat presented to the world’s oceans by plastic. Each of the 2,000 watches features a unique medallion made of recycled plastic set into the case back. Based on the Oris Aquis, it’s also a robust diver’s watch with a uni-directional rotating bezel and water resistance to 30 bar (300m)

Divers Sixty-Five Date The addition of a bronze bezel insert and the option of a bronze bi-colour metal bracelet give this version of the Oris Diver’s Sixty-Five a more formal feel, but at heart it is still a tool watch inspired by a 1960’s original. The deep blue dial with its rose-gold plated details is a reminder that as well as being designed for life underwater, this watch is also a stylish accessory.

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Bamford London unveils

the Mayfair Sport The Third Design in Bamford London’s Mayfair Collection

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he Bamford London team launches its new Mayfair Sport, a watch that has been crafted to make a stand-out impression all year round.

The third timepiece in Bamford London’s signature Mayfair collection, the Mayfair Sport comes in an array of brightly coloured designs, making it a picture-perfect accessory for any occasion.

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Whilst fashionable in design, the Mayfair Sport is waterresistant to 10ATM, making it ideal for outdoor sports.

It comes on a rubber strap with a unique wickerway function and the LumiNova indices mean you can see the timepiece at any time of the day. Built around a steel core, the high impact polymer case and bezel come in a number of different colour options with a brand new dial and dial configuration, providing wearers with the opportunity to express their personal style and taste.

The original Mayfair watch began its life as Bamford Watch Department’s service watch, but the timepiece became so beloved by their clients they requested to keep it, leading Bamford London to create the Bamford Mayfair. Since Bamford Mayfair’s launch in 2017, Bamford London has also added the Bamford Mayfair Date to the Mayfair collection.

The Mayfair Sport is available exclusively for 1 month at MR PORTER from 15th May 2019 before general release, with an RRP of £350. www.mrporter.com

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Frederique Constant presents the Classics Moonphase Manufacture and introduces a new in-house caliber

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ince 2004, Frederique Constant created its own calibers, entirely in-house designed, produced and assembled. This was an important step for the brand to become more independent, having more control over the production line, improve quality and accelerate product delivery. In-house calibers have become a trademark for Frederique Constant and play an important role in the the brand’s strategy towards the future.

The New FC-712 Movement The newest in-house calibre is the FC-712 automatic movement, thus becoming the 29th addition to an ever-growing collection.

Based on the iconic FC-700 movement series from Frederique Constant, it has been redesigned in order to split the moonphase and date into two counters. Both functions are adjustable via the crown. Through the transparent caseback, the movement shows off the famous Perlage and circular Côtes de Genève decorations present on all Frederique Constant in-house calibers. It took the brand’s R&D department and watchmakers two years to perfect this movement and introduce it to the watchmaking market.

The Watch The timepiece offers three variations: silver or navy blue-coloured dials and in either rose gold-plated or polished stainless-steel case. The 42mm 3 parts-case holds a convex sapphire crystal and see-through caseback revealing the inner workings of the FC-712 caliber, offering a 38-hour power reserve.

The two counters of the moonphase and date are respectively located at three and nine o’clock. The elegant curved dial merges seamlessly with the case showcasing printed roman numeral indexes and handpolished hands. Finally, the dark brown, black or blue croco calf leather strap completes the look.

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Frederique Constant supports Only Watch with a spectacular Meteorite Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar Manufacture timepiece Frederique Constant launches one unique edition of its successful Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar Manufacture watch in 18K rose gold featuring a blue tint Meteorite skeleton dial with a heartbeat opening at 6 o’clock, offering its wearer a precious glance at the watch’s complex mechanics.

Democratic complications The Perpetual Calendar Tourbillon Manufacture timepiece embodies the founders’ visionary quest to render Swiss watchmaking savoir-faire and innovation more accessible.

In 2004, after a few years of research and development, Frederique Constant introduced its first in-house patented manufacture movement: the awardwinning Heart Beat Manufacture Calibre. Four years later, the brand unveiled its first in-house manufacture Tourbillon, one of the industry’s most intricate complication based on the Heart Beat Manufacture calibre.

Later in 2016, to celebrate the 10th year anniversary of the Frederique Constant manufacture in Plan-lesOuates, another grande complication was created: the Manufacture Perpetual Calendar watch, paving the way for a new generation of Swiss Made complicated watches at an accessible price tag and becoming a beacon of the brand’s know-how and expertise.

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The movement

Aiming to provide ultimate precision, the in-house automatic FC-975 movement is equipped with a silicium escapement wheel and anchor. This specific material counters problems caused by the effect of the earth’s gravity when the movement is in a vertical position and is resistant to temperature change.

This grand complication also bears a smart weight balance wheel and a delicate and even Tourbillon cage. Frederique Constant patented its Tourbillon cage composed of 80 components all produced with a precision of 1-2 micron (0.001-0.002 mm) thanks to its CNC machines. In order to achieve the highest degree of precision, small weights are added in the Tourbillon’s cage to obtain a perfect balance. When the Tourbillon is constructed, the cage’s stability is slightly off, as the escapement wheel and anchor are decentred. Frederique Constant added a “smart screw” system on the outer edge of the Tourbillon to equalize the weight and deliver a perfect balance within the cage, resulting in a more stable amplitude and rate.

The watch The Meteorite Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar Manufacture Only Watch model is a unique piece presented in a 42mm diameter 3-part 18K rose gold case with a see-through case back to let one admire the delicate Perlage & Côtes de Genève decorations.

The watch features a stunning, skeletonized blue tint meteorite dial. This four billion-year-old, very rare material fell on Earth 80,000 years ago and was found in Namibia, Africa back in 1839.

The Perpetual Calendar complication also displays the day, date and month and requires even fewer adjustments than an annual calendar. This highly sophisticated complication acknowledges the number of days each month, displays the year and automatically adjust itself on the leap years.

Once set, it will remember the months with 30 and 31 days, the 28 days of February as well as the leap year cycle with the return of 29th of February every four years. The Perpetual Calendar doesn’t require any manual correction before 400 years, although there is an exception in the Gregorian Calendar, the watch will need to be adjusted on March 1st, 2100.

The hour and minute functions are all adjustable through the crown. The dial presents at 12 o’clock the months and leap year, at 3 o’clock the days and at 9 o’clock the week days.

The tourbillon’s cage sits at 6 o’clock, with its incorporated seconds hand that rotates once every minute.

Frederique Constant decided to develop this one-of-a-kind timepiece and support the 8th edition of Only Watch to finance scientific research for the rare Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The Brand is looking to offer the best fruit of its high-end watchmaking know-how to do good.

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M ovad o o

ne of the world’s premier watchmakers and renowned for its modern design aesthetic, Movado is the hallmark of some of the most famous timepieces ever created, most notably, the Movado Museum® Watch.

Designed in 1947 by Bauhaus-influenced artist Nathan George Horwitt, the watch dial defined by a solitary dot at 12, symbolizing the sun at high noon, has been acclaimed for purity of design unrivalled in the history of timekeeping. When Horwitt’s dial was selected for the permanent design collection of the Museum of Modern Art, New York, in 1960, it became the first watch dial ever awarded this distinction. Known today as the Movado Museum Watch, this legendary dial is regarded as an icon of Modernism.

May 2019 sees the launch of the Movado Museum Classic, 40 mm stainless steel case with blue-toned dial on stainless steel mesh bracelet. Which retails from for £550.00 www.movado.co.uk

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hether it’s buying, selling or even relocating and looking to find your perfect rental home, dealing with property can be a time consuming and stressful issue. Looking in Prime central London can bring up even more challenges, with a fast-moving property market where knowledge is key. So how can you be first in line when a rare-in-demand home becomes available? Off market has become a buzz word in the industry, where premium homes never reach the mass market due to a private sale or where a house is sold so quickly that it never reaches estate agents’ windows. With so much prime real estate changing hands in a discreet manner, off-market is ideal for those in the public eye, but also means a trusted advisor and expert is needed on hand to advise and produce the prime real estate desired.

Situated just a short distance from Chelsea, INHOUS was launched in 2012 by co-founders David Johnson and Gillian Shubotham, who have over 20 years combined experience in the business. With clients across the globe, INHOUS works with high-net-worth individuals and high-profile figures from the sport, media and entertainment industry, providing them with expert guidance in the buying, selling, letting and management of property. They guarantee complete discretion and confidentiality along with a refreshing stance on the property market.

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Independent residential property consultant INHOUS is leading the way in challenging the perceptions of buying, selling and letting real estate. With a strong presence in the luxury, prime central London market, INHOUS’ bespoke, end-to-end project service sets them apart from other property professionals. INHOUS sources prime properties before they launch officially to the market through a longstanding and exclusive network of connections. This provides that much needed head start when it comes to sourcing the perfect home as INHOUS presents a tailored selection of properties before the search has even begun.

One such property is a spectacular and unique Gothic Revival house boasting stunning architectural details.

It offers maximum privacy, suitable for buyers looking for the elusive combination of a haven of tranquillity in a central London location. Ideally situated for the excellent shops, restaurants and facilities within reach at Fulham Broadway and in Chelsea, Old St James’s Vicarage is truly one of the most unique and memorable houses in Fulham. A light filled and spacious entrance hall with bespoke plasterwork leads through to an elegant double drawing room with a magnificent Gothic fireplace and a working open fire.

At garden level a superb multi use living and dining space with full length French windows leads out to a generous outside space. A breath-taking elliptical, stone staircase anchors the house, complementing the Gothic arch windows that line the central turret, whilst an impressive media/games room opens onto a private courtyard. A studio flat and expansive garage gives an expansive feel to this extensive property.

Currently on the market with a guide price of £8.5 million, this property offers complete privacy.

The INHOUS team’s expertise with dealing from international clients including sports stars from around the globe has led to an expansion of the INHOUS offering. Especially prized by clients moving to the UK, INHOUS delivers exceptional relocation programmes which are completely personalised. As a consultancy, they remove the stress of moving to a new location by sourcing more than the right property. Through their market knowledge, INHOUS offers expert advice on schooling, childcare and local amenities. Co-Founder of INHOUS, Gillian Shubotham comments, “We are proud to work with high profile, time poor clients from all over the world and take on the position of their eyes and ears when it comes to luxury property. The recent launch of our bespoke concierge services adds another exclusive dimension to our high-end offering.”

For more information, please visit: www.inhous.com

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Introducing your new London home

The Townhouse residences at

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The Athenaeum Hotel

his summer, the iconic Athenaeum Hotel & Residences, in the heart of London’s Mayfair overlooking Green Park, unveils the new Townhouse Residences. A five-star home from home, boasting the royals as neighbours, this 14-bedroom piedà-terre invites residents to move in and enjoy London, as only Londoners do.

Located on a light-dappled residential side-street, a turn from the Athenaeum’s main entrance and royal Green Park, this elegant mansion once owned

by MP and arts patron Henry Hope can be yours for the weekend, or as long as you choose. As you step through the Victorian redbrick façade into your own private mosaic-tiled entrance, your senses will be restored by a pervasive peace and tranquillity. Ascend the period staircase choosing from one or two-bedroom residences: each with lounge and kitchenette, and luxurious bedrooms all with interconnecting options for your personal configuration.

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Designed by the award-winning Martin Hulbert; the creative visionary behind The Grove Hotel, Coworth Park, Barnsley House, Chewton Glen Treehouses and Cliveden; the Townhouse Residences offer space, light and copious amounts of English charm. Hulbert’s elegant, natural palette is punctuated by contrasting tones of warm amber and cool teal which complement the natural light flooding the 37ft bay windows, along with flashes of eccentric British brilliance including Hulbert’s own Sussex landscapes and photography of Mayfair icons.

Drawing upon the Athenaeum’s Art-Deco influence; Herringbone, deep silks, plush velvets, copper and leather are abundant and used to create a stylish yet supremely comfortable setting. Large traditional fireplaces decorated with eclectic objets-de-art, are framed by stylish Gubi chairs to form the centerpiece to the Residence’s living spaces.

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Hulbert explains: “The history of the property and location have been a major source of inspiration. The design aesthetic is classically English with eccentric touches and creates a feeling of space, light and views, with plenty of nods to Mayfair and Green Park. Whilst at the hotel we are dealing with predominantly functional spaces, with the Residences we want to create a home from home and imbue the space with personality adding plenty of bespoke touches and ensuring the lighting is just right.”

Ideal for longer-stays, large groups and families, residents will find the kitchenettes and dining areas perfectly formed and fully equipped with every detail to create a true home away from home.

However if ‘rest and recuperation’ are the only articles on the menu, guests can enjoy the benefit of the Athenaeum Hotel’s room service supplied

by Michelin-starred chefs Chris & Jeff Galvin.

Stylish, bathrooms fitted with intelligent Toto sanitaryware and rain showers provide a luxurious and efficient environment whilst Espa provides the in-room spa experience.

Technology is intuitive and discreet with 55inch televisions, Bose bespoke charging docks for the room controls and conveniently located internationally compatible sockets. Residents can benefit from the best of both worlds feeling safe and secure in their private home with video-phone entry as well as enjoying the luxury of the Athenaeum’s 24-hour concierge and twice daily housekeeping service.

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With Buckingham Palace moments away, the Athenaeum’s Townhouse Residences are ideal for exploring the capital’s key landmarks by foot. Green Park, Piccadilly, Hyde Park, Burlington Arcade, Fortnum & Mason, the Royal Academy of Arts and bustling Shepherd’s Market are all within easy walking distance.

Says Athenaeum Hotel & Residences’ General Manager, Bernard Murphy, “The Athenaeum’s ethos is to make every stay individual and personal.

With our new Residences, guests have the perfect opportunity to truly curate and privatise their stay; from adapting their room configuration and enjoying a discreet, private entrance to choosing whether to prepare their own meals or letting the Michelin-starred Galvin brothers do it for them. We’re really excited to launch this development and see it being particularly successful in meeting the needs of our long-stay guests”.

The Athenaeum Townhouse Residences are launching in July and are available to book now. Prices start from £699 including VAT per room per night. Book online or call Milena our reservation concierge to arrange your visit.

The Athenaeum Hotel & Residences 16 Piccadilly, Mayfair, London W1J 7BJ. +44 (0)20 7499 3464 www.athenaeumhotel.com @TheAthenaeum @TheAthenaeumHotel

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Chelsea Showroom, 115 Fulham Road, SW3 6RL chelsea@hastensstores.com +44 02072250974 / (0)2072252998

Hästens Store London, Fitzrovia, 66-68 Margaret Street, W1W 8SR sales@hastensamersham.com +44 20 7436 0646 / +44 20 7436 0654

Hästens Beds Harrods, 87-135 Brompton Road, Knightsbridge, SW1X 7XL hastens.harrods@hastens.com +44 (0)207 225 6748

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NEW HAWK 38 FLIES THROUGH FIRST SEA TRIAL

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ollowing its highly anticipated launch earlier this month, Sunseeker has put to the test its brand-new high-performance day boat – the Hawk 38. Exhaustive prototype sea trials have now taken place on the breath-taking waters of Lake Como in Italy and will now continue back in the UK.

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With initial performance and handling critical to the sea trial, Sunseeker was thrilled to report that its first prototype hull, and with the legendary Fabio Buzzi at the helm, achieved an incredible top speed of 68.7kts (79mph). Estimates for the finished boat with console, carbon fibre roof, deck mouldings and fittings remain 62-63kts (70mph+); exactly as calculated.

Noticeably, the incredibly low noise and vibration levels are groundbreaking, even at maximum speed thanks to the all-new patented structuralfoam hull technology. Combined with the inflatable Hypalon 866 STAB® tubes and Mercury 400R engines, the boat is easily delivering the dynamic performance it was designed for matched with exceptional turn-in and grip.

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With an inconceivably smooth running hull and the addition of four Besenzoni racing seats with shock absorbing mitigation, occupants can either sit or stand for optimal comfort and safety; thereby allowing owners to fully explore the limits of this boat’s performance.

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Commenting on the initial sea trial, Sunseeker CEO, Christian Marti said: “Extensive testing is now underway on the Hawk 38 prototype and we are thrilled with the results achieved during this initial period.

Performance racing boats are in the brand’s DNA and the Hawk 38 is our most technologically advanced performance boat ever – these results prove that we are the technical experts in this field.”

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R aise Y our G ame The Campus high-performance athlete and team facility offers the most exclusive and complete training environment for your team, in the heart of southern Portugal.

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state-of-the-art performance centre for elite athletes and their teams, The Campus at Quinta do Lago is the ideal destination for football training, rehabilitation and team building.

Brand new to Quinta do Lago, The Campus 45,000 sq. foot location is dedicated to sports and athletic performance enhancement, featuring a high-performance gymnasium, along with cycling, racquet and swimming amenities.

The centrepiece, though, is a is 155 x 84 metre DESSO Hybrid Grassmaster pitch.

High-tech and selected for its all-season durability and playing consistency, this pitch is featured in some of the worlds most renowned sporting venues and is exclusively aimed at professional sports teams. The newly allocated green allows for configuration to a full-size football ground, complete with technical areas, as the world-renowned Quinta do Lago professional green keepers ensure the pitch is kept in immaculate condition at all times.

Adjacent to the pitch, players have direct access to changing rooms, medical, wellness and therapeutic facilities, a high-performance gymnasium and aquatic centre, with a team of health and fitness professionals at their service.

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Built to meet the needs and demands of professional athletes, The Campus is equipped with the latest in sports technology and home to our team of active living and sports physicians which consists of a qualified team of coaches, trainers, doctors, physiotherapists, and performance analysts. To enhance player and coach communication, our centre also provides creative zones for a range of uses including analysis, team building and media relations.

Located in the stunning grounds of Quinta do Lago in the Algarve, The Campus is immersed in a community of active and outdoor living.

Over the past 45 years, Quinta do Lago has firmly established itself as one of the most prestigious leisure and lifestyle resorts in Europe.

From the breathtaking coastline and stunning natural landscapes, to the world-class sports and golf and incredible gastronomic experiences, teams are able to train, practice, rehabilitate and relax in an idyllic climate and environment, enclosed by a private and natural setting.

Located on the doorstep of Quinta do Lago and The Campus, The Magnolia Hotel offers tailored hospitality options ideal for training teams and athletes. Boutique accommodation options are offered, along with its own range of in-house amenities including gym, sauna, jacuzzi, heated outdoor swimming pool, and treatment rooms, complete with stretching tables.

For more info and booking enquiries: +351 289 381 220 the-campus@quintadolago.com www.quintadolago.com/ the-campus/training-camps

@thecampusqdl

The hotel restaurant offers a tailor-made athlete menu, catering to team’s specific dietary requirements. A full range of packages is available with complimentary upgrades for team management to private cottages.

Receiving high praise from Team GB Olympians and Paralympians, as well as premier-league football teams, Quinta do Lago, with The Campus and The Magnolia Hotel, offer fantastic options for cohesive team building, performance enhancement and athletic recovery with world-class training and leisure facilities. Available with full or partial exclusivity, contact The Campus team to arrange your team’s next training camp.

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A Happy Holiday – every day at Galvin HOP! 35 Spital Square, London 020 7299 0404

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unday Lunch for £18 – cooked by a Michelin starred chef? In Central London? Can this be the Capital’s best value weekend treat?

On Easter Sunday I took the family to Chris and Jeff Galvin’s latest venture: Galvin HOP Bistrot and Bar.

Not to be confused with earlier versions of HOP on the same site, Chris Galvin has re-modelled every aspect of his new baby to reflect his long-held enthusiasm for the bistros of Paris. Not that this is a slavish copy as the burnished copper cylinders filled with the Czech Republic’s finest lager – Pilsner Urquell – testifies.

“I’m after creating an atmosphere not a pastiche,” Galvin, ever present it seems, explains. “HOP is a place where it is ok to while away a few hours – or dash in for a quick snack and a drink. In the background I’m playing the music that I’ve enjoyed all my life so some classics, some blues and a bit of more modern stuff that has caught my ears.”

It being Easter there was a lamb shoulder simply but beautifully cooked, my choice. The kids Wilson and Douglas 11 and 9 both had the roast lamb which they said was delicious. My wife, being a strange, difficult to describe sort of fish and chicken eating vegetarian opted for a flatbread with Jersey Royals, Rosanna onions, Fontina Cheese and black truffle.

As lads, me and the boys tucked into more traditional springtime vegetables. It’s not the sort of place where you just say ‘The veg was ok” and get on with the roast as star of the show. Every single piece of my vegetables was perfect. Carrots not too al dente. Beautiful miniature roastie and the heart and outer leaves of spinach individually presented with a little garlic.

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I was so impressed that I went back a couple of days later wandering from Liverpool Street Station across to Spitalfields and the bustling market. Yes, Chris was there again cutting up charcuterie plates with wonderful bread, a selection of farmhouse cheeses. Washed down with a glass of the Pilsner Urquell it was a perfect lunch for one.

Although there are daily specials, the current menu will appeal to carnivores with rib eye steak, suckling pig, navarin of lamb and cote de boeuf all featuring. But there’s baked trout with peas, baby gem, wild garlic. Miso glazed aubergine with pak choi and courgette. Starters include Spring minestrone with pesto and wild garlic, Endive salad with Papillon Roquefort and walnuts, Wye Valley asparagus with Pecorino and pea shoots.

Puds are fairly eclectic ranging from Valrhona chocolate with mint ice cream to crème caramel via a Gariguette strawberry whipped cheesecake, no me neither, with pistachio and basil cress.

It’s the attention to detail in all the Galvins’ restaurants that impresses me. Hop is far from a Michelin price point but everything has just a little sparkle that you’d never get in a chain restaurant despite the prices being more or less the same. There’s always a great selection of wines and beers too. HOP Makes Me Happy!

AND there was a huge surprise when the bill arrived! It being a holiday the “kids eat free” menu had kicked-in so four of us had eaten for £36! Well, we would have done if the older ones had been a little bit more careful with the beer, prosecco and wine ordering anyway. Kids under 12 eat free, for instance at half-term.

Obviously worth checking the website if this applies to you.

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Danai B ea ch R e s o rt & V i l l a s An Eden-Like Haven Surrounded by Natural Beauty

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anai Beach Resort & Villas is a family run property which was established over 40 years ago. An Eden like property, it is located on Sithonia, the second peninsula of Halkidiki, Greece, surrounded by the Aegean Sea, key cultural sights and filled with natural beauty. Each of the 64 individually designed suites and villas offers a haven for mind, body and soul. Underpinned by a genuine passion for hospitality, Danai Beach Resort offers the highest standards of luxury and elegance.

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Acco mmo d a t ion Danai Beach Resort & Villas offers 64 individually designed rooms and suites, including 6 luxury villas.

Guests can choose from accommodation options including the entry level junior suites, deluxe suites, pool suites and villas. Every room from the junior suites up the pinnacle of luxury with the Green Pearl Villa offers luxurious elegance inspired by the natural environment complemented by sleek design and modern amenities. All Pool Suites and Villas come with private pools and stunning sea views.

The newest addition to Danai Beach Resort & Villas is the Green Pearl Villa, is a serene space offering two levels of sophistication and elegance. Two ensuite bedrooms are filled with designer furniture, unique artwork, white marble elements and offer breath-taking scenery and views at every turn.

Dining Danai Beach Resort & Villas offers an array of dining options including the outstanding cliff side Squirrel restaurant known throughout Greece, which has received numerous culinary awards including the prestigious “Golden Toques” for its incredible menu. The beach front Sea Horse Grill serves freshly grilled meats and fish, while authentic al fresco Greek restaurant Bachtses showcases traditional local cuisine and Andromeda offers an international menu with modern Mediterranean dishes. The Philosophy Seaside Bar was completely renovated in 2016 and offers a range of unique cocktail creations. Danai is committed to offering incredible high gourmet standards, focusing on organic and carefully produced ingredients, many of which come freshly from the on-site herb and vegetable gardens.

Guests can also enjoy this fine cuisine in a private culinary experience in their suite, villa or under the stars on Dania’s private beach or at custom locations in the 40,000 sqm of gardens which make up the resort.

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Offering something very special for wine connoisseurs the award-winning wine cellar at the property ‘Cave á Vin’ is the largest in Greece, offering an incredible selection of 1,700 wines and 20 champagnes from around the world. Not only has the property been awarded ‘Best Wine List’ in Greece but also Sommelier Alexandros Bouzikas was awarded Best Sommelier amongst the Sommeliers within the Greek Association of Sommeliers 2017 and will shortly participate for winning the award by L’Association de la Sommellerie Internationale.

Danai Beach Resort also hosts an array of culinary events, including Sunday Breakfast Bunch with live classical music along with a range of entertainment throughout the week from classical pianists to live jazz performances. A weekly programme of special events includes traditional Greek speciality evenings, lobster nights and sushi on the beach.

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Spa & Leisure The SPA at Danai Beach resort is a wellness sanctuary with holistic therapies, a Cleopatra bath and a range of wonderful wellness activities from yoga and Pilates to specialist weekly retreats. The main focus is on Oriental Holistic Therapies and treatments on offer include Relaxation Massages, Deep Tissue Treatments, Therapeutic Massages as well as Beauty and Cosmetic Treatments.

The Fitness pavilion provides a professional tennis court, and multiple pools can be enjoyed including both indoor and outdoor pools.

The main pool shaded by tall pine trees, offers aromatic lime towels and refreshments to complete the relaxing environment. There are a range of leisure facilities including yoga, tennis, fitness instructors, painting, cooking classes, bath butler and even extra special dog services for four legged friends.

Family Danai Beach Resort has wonderful activities on hand for the whole family, a dynamic and spacious Kids Club and Crèche allows for adventurous and creative afternoons all under the supervision of qualified, multilingual professionals. A 14-day schedule with daily changing themes offers a Pirate Day with exciting treasure hunts throughout the Resort and authentic face painting to Greek Day with Greek dancing as well as allowing the kids to make Greek dishes, including delicious Tzatziki. Foreign language classes in Greek, English, French or German, dancing classes, painting classes and baby yoga are also available.

Danai Beach Resort & Villas (www. danairesort.com/+30 2375 020400) offers junior suites from £375 on a B&B basis, based on 2 people sharing

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Pizarro

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’ve just attended a wonderful “four hand” evening. What? No, me neither. It signifies, apparently, that two chefs – each with two hands of course – have prepared the meal.

Whatever – it was fantastic.

Held at Pizarro, the eponymous restaurant in Bermondsey, hosted by José alongside his friend Juanjo Lopez who runs La Tasquita de Enfrente a 100% Spanish ingredient restaurant in Madrid. I always enjoy Pizarro which might be the most enjoyable Spanish restaurant in London.

The food is always terrific but it’s the atmosphere conjured up by the wonderful, cheerful staff and the constant buzz of the brigade who cook in clear sight – often led by José himself which makes this just one of the nicest places to enjoy tapas or much more.

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I never discovered who cooked what but really every one of the twelve dishes offered was a triumph.

Even things that I’d never have ordered myself, smoked eel as an example or black squid ink disappeared off plates in seconds. The eel was served with caramelised pear and the squid ink was in the croquetas. Inevitably with José the first offering was 5J 100% acorn-fed Jamón Iberico from Cinco Jotas. My radio presenter neighbour was in raptures.

“This is something else to any ham I’ve ever eaten,” he exclaimed before cleaning the platter.

That was followed by Langoustines in Ajillo sauce, basically butter, lots of garlic, chillies and some lemon juice. Heaven on a plate. Food started coming at quite a lick. The inevitable patatas bravos, Russian Salad, Figs and Anchovy. Then a new one for me – strawberry gazpacho. Sounds a bit of a weird concept but beautifully light and refreshing.

The only thing that didn’t really stand out for me was Pork Cheeks and Cauliflower which seemed a bit tame after the fireworks that preceded it.

Then on to Stilton Cheese (so no 100% Spanish in Bermondsey then) but served with PX the sweetest of sweet sherry. I think the consistent theme throughout the meal was the concentration of combinations of just a few ingredients on each plate, often things that I anyway would never have thought of putting together.

And that, apart from Seville Apricots and a red berry Tiramisu, was that. What a blow-out. Forgot to mention the apparently unlimited Albarino and Rioja. And the cost of this? £75 a head. Great value for an outstanding meal and confirms José Pizarro’s reputation as one of the most innovative culinary entertainers in London today.

194 Bermondsey Street, London 020 7378 9455

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Activ5 Activbody Activ5 – aids with recovery and strength training Activ5 is a first-of-its-kind, wireless-enabled, isometric-based strength training device that coaches users through 5-minute, low-impact, full-body workouts. A fitness innovation ideal for everyone from professionals who sit all day, to frequent travellers, over 60s, or simply anyone who finds it challenging to fit in daily activity, Activ5 by Activbody allows anyone with a smartphone to exercise anywhere while coaching, tracking and entertaining them.

The sleek and portable handheld device guides users through discreet, short burst workouts, providing full-body toning from both sitting and standing positions, all while tracking results on the companion Activ5 App which hosts over 100 unique workouts. With a durable design that measures more than 200 lbs. of force, Activ5 helps users increase strength by as much as 5 percent per week, and effectively tones and strengthens muscles using isometric workouts.

Isometric exercise is a type of low-impact strength training where the angle of the joints and muscle length do not change during contraction – for example a plank. Scientific research has proven that isometric exercise is one of the fastest and most efficient ways to build strength, accelerate fat burning and tone the body (five minutes of isometric exercise can be equivalent to 25 minutes of gym-machine exercises). £119.95 from Selfridges and Amazon

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Directory Berkeley Homes www.berkeleygroup.com

Sunseeker www.sunseeker.com

Watches of Switzerland www.watches-of-switzerland.co.uk

AG Fine Products www.agfineproducts.com

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Alexander James Interior Design www.aji.co.uk

Fair FX Currency www.fairfx.com/exchange-rates

Patek Philippe www.patek.com

David Morris www.davidmorris.com

Perfectly Attired www.perfectlyattired.co.uk

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Blackphone www.blackphone.co.uk

Quintessentially www.quintessentially/com

Hastens Beds www.hastens.com

The Luxury Network www.theluxurynetwork.co.uk

Bellis Homes www.bellishomes.co.uk

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Thule www.thule.com

Stowers Savile Row www.stowers.london

AZLuxe VIP Cars www.azluxe.co.uk

Nike www.nike/uk/official

Gaga Milano www.gagamilano.com

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Nobis eu.nobis.com

Bamford London www.bamfordlondon.com

Inhous www.inhous.com

Galvin Restaurants www.galvinrestaurants.com

Ballers Champagne www.ballerschampagne.com

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Swiss Education Group www.swisseducation.com

Urban-Automotive www.urban-automotive.co.uk

Ravn Watches www.ravnwatches.com

Atheneum Hotel www.athenaeumhotel.com

Stonehealth Clinic www.stonehealthclinic.co.uk

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Issue

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In this Edition a Special thanks to

Max Nilov Paul Duck Barry Brooks Sean Hunter Tony Simmons

Fraser Reid

David Cronin

Designer

Legal Advisor

Sub Editor

David de Vries

Nathalie Bradbury Quintessentially Editor

Deborah Arthurs

Marcio Quintela

Art Director

Duncan Pratt

Craig Boyland

Founder / Editor in Chief

Lifestyle Director

Fashion Advisor

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Footballers Life Ltd. cannot accept responsibilty for unsolicited submissions, manuscripts and photographs. While every care is taken prices and details are subject to change, and Footballers Life Ltd. takes no responsibility for omissions or errors. We reserve the right to publish and edit any letters. All rights reserved.

Reproduction in whole or part without Publishers permission is strictly prohibited. Although every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this publication is correct at the time of going to press, we cannot accept any responsibilty for any loss or innconvenience however caused.

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