THIS WEEKEND WE CROWN A PREMIER LEAGUE CHAMPION 🏆🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

Hail GFOP!

I type with fingers braced for the end of the road. After nearly nine months and 370 games of journeying, it all comes down to this. Championship Sunday. The Final Weekend, a Sunday where every game unfurls at 11 a.m. ET like an entire box of bottle rockets set off all at once, and during which Premier League football invades the Golf Channel, causing 70-year-olds across Florida to discover Cole Palmer for the very first time.

Join Me: I will go LIVE on YouTube after the Premier League trophy has been presented to break down the day’s wonder and revel in your questions. JOIN US HERE. 

Manchester City are 90 minutes away from their 4th straight title. An unprecedented period of dominance. They would become the first team in the history of football to achieve “the Quadpeat.” However, that prospect and the fact the three newly promoted teams went straight back down do make you wonder about the competitive quality of the football we have all been watching. More on Manchester City and Arsenal’s quest below. (Arsenal fans, remember, Hope Kills.) But this weekend will also be Jurgen Klopp’s final match as Liverpool manager (against Wolves, Sunday, 11 a.m. ET, USA). After nearly nine seasons that delivered seven major trophies, expect the scenes at Anfield to be profound. Akin to a living wake, for a man whose charismatic presence has transformed not just the club, but the entire city. Leading the fanbase on journey after journey, both physical and spiritual. The memories he has made for them, the victories they have witnessed, and the sheer joy they have experienced along the way are without peer – because of Klopp’s personality and the style of audacious football he conjured.   

I have made no secret of the fact that, even though I am an Evertonian, I admire the man so much. Interviewing Jurgen Klopp season after season, has taught me lessons about life that transcend football, including “How you face up to defeat defines you” and “Don’t covet what you lack. Make the best of what you have.” Haters will say he only won one league title. But to win one league title in the Pep Guardiola era… I think only time will tell what a superhuman feat that was. Liverpool fans. I understand your pain. I taped a really beautiful conversation with John Oliver which amounted to a borderline eulogy. John articulated the depth and complexity of the emotions he is experiencing. I agree with so much of what he said: “Trophies are essentially ephemeral, right? You only own them temporarily, then you hand them off to someone else who'll take them from you. What he was about was moments, right? Moments can't be taken away from you. Moments are tattoos on your soul. They're there FOREVER.”

Liverpool fans. The collective memories you make will last a lifetime. 

Klopp’s final Liverpool press conference has just occurred ahead of Sunday’s game, and he gave us two more memories: “Saying goodbye is never nice. But saying goodbye without feeling sad would mean the time we spent together wasn’t great.” And then the superhero-esque line that will be burned into the hearts of every Liverpool fan: "I don't imagine the club will need me in the future but if the city needs me, I'm there."

More: Terrific piece by Miguel Delaney on Jurgen’s legacy.

b. I have had a magical week on the road. Six different hotel rooms on six different nights from Portland Ore. to Philadelphia and back, setting up for the Summer of Football to come. I am typing this newsletter in a car headed from Atlanta to Charlotte after an incredible 24 hours in ATL. (Shoutout to the wonder of Gaffney, SC.) I am currently composed of 73% Fox’s ribs. Magic to meet so many GFOPs in that city which is football mad. We cannot wait to be with you Carolinians tomorrow – we will raise a glass tonight at Valhalla Pub at 317 Church Street.

c.  We are headed to Dallas and Kansas City next. We love and trust your recommendations on what we should see and eat. 🇺🇸

d. Kansas City. Sam Mewis and I are coming to your magical kingdom for a LIVE SHOW to tell the rollicking story of the Kansas City Current. Tickets went on sale yesterday. Move fast and grab one of the few remaining here. We can’t wait to be with you. 🍻

2. To the Football

i. Manchester City vs West Ham (Sunday, 11 a.m. ET, NBC Proper)

Arsenal are poetry. City are less prose, more computer code.

Yes, there is something bloodless about a team who are unbeaten in 33 straight games in all competitions, but that is their four-peat seeking brilliance. To play this level of unconquering football over such a sustained period, under hysterical pressure, without losing focus – becoming fatigued or complacent, and tuning Pep out, is something so truly profound. Arsenal fans will pray West Ham, in their last game under David Moyes, will pull it out for Declan Rice. It all feels very “Help me, Obi-Wan Moyesey. You're my only hope.” territory. Son-slayer Stefan Ortega will play in goal after Ederson tried to play on in the last game with a fractured eye socket. A story which is dreadful on many levels the more you think about it. Will their new 2024/25 kit have a bit of gold on it after this weekend?

Premier League CEO Richard Masters will not be at the game, as his organization are currently embroiled in the 115 charges leveled against their forever Champions. British journalist Nick Harris captured the complexity of this moment after the Spurs victory: That's the title race over. Man City will be the first club to win four English top-flight titles in a row, and six titles in seven years. Two punishments for non-compliance/cheating, and 115 charges pending on the way.

ii. Arsenal vs Everton (Sunday, 11 a.m. ET, USA)

Whatever happens on Sunday, make no mistake: This Arsenal season has been remarkable. The iconic Invincibles who went undefeated in 03-04 had 26 wins. These boys of Saka, Ødegaard, and Rice have won 27 times.  To try and catch Manchester City is akin to Kasparov hoping he can beat Big Blue. The experience of Tuesday night’s wheels-within-wheels inversion of rooting for Tottenham against Manchester City was surreal.  GFOP @shteivred captured it best when tweeting: “This is the best revenge Spurs fans could get on Arsenal: Forcing them to suffer through being Spurs fans for a day, and the joys of, 'Oh so close but not quite' goal after goal. That Son missed chance just now, perfect.” But within minutes of the disappointment of the final whistle, my Arsenal supporting friend Michael Cohen texted me “Moysey-Arteta connection means West Ham going to do it. I’m starting to get a tingle…”  I have a feeling though. City gonna lose against West Ham. But Everton are going to cock it up by beating Arsenal by mistake.

We also won’t be seeing Arsenal’s new home kit in action this weekend, but they’ll be looking to have it adorned with a touch of gold come next season.

More: This is impressive. Arsenal Women will play all home games at Emirates next season. WSL is a force. 

iii. Chelsea vs. Bournemouth (Sunday, 11 a.m. ET, GOLF)

Whisper it: Chelsea have won four games in a row and need just one point to qualify for the Europa League. Win again and they could leap past Tottenham and finish fifth. Watch this lovely moment in this week’s press conferences, when Pochettino was asked if he knew that only City, Arsenal and Liverpool have picked up more points than his in-form Chelsea in 2024. Poch has so many psychic arrows in his soul from that turbulent first half of the season, he probably takes little pleasure in all that has come since. Chelsea are not yet coherent. But with Cole Palmer transcendent, Bald Nico Jackson a different proposition, and the belated return of Nkunku there are greenshoots that counter the screaming dominant narrative.  

iv. Sheffield United vs. Tottenham (Sunday, 11 a.m. ET, P’Cock)

This is how a Spurs season ends. Not with a bang. But with a whimper. Been hard to watch Big Ange flail these past few weeks. His comments post City loss were searing: “I think the last 48 hours have revealed a fair bit to me… the foundations are fairly fragile, mate… It's inside the club, outside the club.” Make no mistake. Big Ange, a serial winner in his career, is in a tough moment, speaking his truth, confronting Spurs fans, and challenging their culture. In so doing is cutting a very isolated figure. I love the man, and hope he can fill the big empathy hole that Klopp is leaving behind. Yet, I fear the brusqueness that was refreshing when the team were winning can be construed as rude in this moment of frustration and freefall. The lessons he learns from this first season of highs and lows, the criticism he allows in, and that which he keeps out, will determine the subsequent pathway. 

More: Miguel Delaney on Postecoglou’s culture war at Tottenham.

v. Through the Moon Door of Relegation. “Make the Bad Man Fly.” 💩

For the second time in league history, the three promoted sides will be relegated: Farewell, Sheffield United, Burnley and 99.9999% certainly, Luton Town. It would take a Luton win, a Forest defeat and a 13-goal swing in Luton’s favor to see the Hatters survive. It is frustrating for the fans, and the fact that the only reason this relegation race felt competitive was down to points deductions is a real problem for the league. The money gulf between the two divisions cannot make the relegation race a self-fulfilling prophecy.

vi. Championship Playoff Death Match: Southampton host West Brom in the second leg of their Championship playoff today (3 p.m. ET, ESPN+). The winner plays Leeds United at Wembley next weekend for a place in the Premier League. Godspeed to all.

vii.Viel Glück to Xabi Alonso and Leverkusen who can become the first team in Bundesliga history to go through an entire season unbeaten by avoiding defeat against Augsburg. (Saturday, 9.30 a.m. ET, ESPN+) 🇩🇪🏆🍻

More: What Levurkusen’s season of wonder means for the club owner, Big Pharma’s Bayer AG. 

More: Complete final day broadcast schedule. 📺

3. Jesse Marsch is learning the words to “O Canada” as I type 🇨🇦

Jesse Marsch will be the new Coach of the Canadian Men’s National Team. A shocking twist for a gent once seen as a favorite to have the US job after 2022, akin to that of Nate going to West Ham in Ted Lasso. Jesse will lead  Canada in upcoming friendlies against the Netherlands and France in a few weeks. I happen to think International Football will suit Jesse – so much is about motivation and the emphasis on the collective. However the Canadian Federation, like every Federation in CONCACAF, is a very idiosyncratic place – so strapped for cash that the role has been sponsored by the nation’s three MLS teams and Jesse will be officially known as the “MLS Canada Men’s National Team Head Coach”. Godspeed to Jesse and his family. Every Canada-US clash will be a certified must-watch banger – which, with Mexico in chaos, is exactly what our US boys need. My friend John Green captured the mood when he tweeted “Great, now Canada have healthcare AND Jesse Marsch.”

4. More Football, Did Ya Say?

i. Ipswich: How they turned off games of their promotion rivals to focus only on their own journey and gain access to the Promised Land.

ii. A whole community is growing behind embroidered football shirts.

iii. WSL Record Goalscorer Vivianne Miedema Announces She Will Leave Arsenal.

iv. Astonishing story: Michail Antonio admits he has had therapy after ‘Falling out of love” with football.

5. The Women’s Game

The weekend o’seismic title race games begins Saturday in the WSL as defending champions Chelsea and Manchester City take their battle to the final day. All six games kick off at 10 a.m. ET, with Emma Hayes’ Chelsea lining up against FA Cup Winners Man Utd, and Man City traveling to Birmingham to face Aston Villa (both on Paramount +). Here is the formula for victory: City can win the league if Chelsea draw or lose and they win. Chelsea can go top if they win and City draw or lose OR if both tie. If both win or both lose, the league will be decided on goal difference (Chelsea currently up by two). 

PS. I loved, loved, loved listening to Cat Macario talk to the mighty Sam Mewis about this incredibly tenacious Chelsea season and the USWNT.

More: The ups and downs of Emma Hayes' final Chelsea season.

b. After a truly worrying week for USWNT injuries…The NWSL returns tonight with the NC Courage hosting league rookies Utah Royals (8 p.m. ET, Prime Video), while the Portland Thorns will look to extend their astonishing 5-game winning streak as they travel to the Houston Dash (8 p.m. ET, NWSL +.)

6. This Week at Men in Blazers World Headquarters

“On the run from Johnny Law, ain’t no trip to Cleveland…” 

🚨 The Season Finale of The Men in Blazers TV Show with special guest Erling Haaland airs THIS SUNDAY on Peacock TV. Making this show for 10 seasons is something we never take for granted. You can binge the last three of them HERE. 

😢 JOHN OLIVER PODCAST & YOUTUBE SPECIAL. A Requiem for Klopp. The most special of all our Pod specials.   

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 The Normcore King behind Wrexham's Hollywood Revolution. Rog is joined by manager Phil Parkinson to relive Wrexham's season of wonder, ponder how they'll fare in League One, and reveal the Rob McElhenney text that meant so much to him. LISTEN HERE | WATCH HERE. This conversation, along with all of our Wrexham content this season, has been brought to you by the GFOPs at STōK Cold Brew Coffee. A brand we love. A team we adore.  

7. Not Football, and All the Better for It

i. This is BEST CASE SCENARIO for finding something in your walls: Secret in the walls: Hidden letters reveal love, lust, scandal in 1920s Baltimore society.

ii. Loved this: Imagine Your Last Day of Work Ever. Here’s Theirs.

iii. Andre 3000 Is At Peace (For Now). Andre and Hanif Abdurraqib in conversation, what more could you want?

iv. 25 Alice Munro Stories You Can (and should) Read Online Right Now. Thank you LitHub 🙏.

v. Has this guy ever made a movie before?’ Francis Ford Coppola’s 40-year battle to film Megalopolis. Doesn't make it easy on himself, does he? 

vi. Fantastic: Young Clippers radio voice Carlo Jiménez is inspired by his grandfather’s sacrifices. The next Peter Drury is practicing his metaphors somewhere.

vii. The greatest diss tracks of all time. Honestly expected more Zlatan on this list.

viii. Very very cool: Photog's new book documents skate culture from a woman's perspective.

ix. Personally I think all dogs are good boys, but if you MUST rank them...What Are Titles in Dog Sports, and What Do They Mean?

x. Behind the Butter Board: How the Dairy Industry Took Over Your Feed. When the forces of Kelly Ripa and Grimace combine...we are powerless to stop them. 

xi. If you want to belong, find a third place. But stop there, nothing good comes from the fourth place. 

I want to end with a Raven sent in by GFOP Mark Dolce, who responded to Rory Smith telling the story of watching Real Madrid beat Bayern and witnessing a fan in his mid-60s who had taken time out of his life to carve a Champions League trophy out of aluminum foil. Mark wrote: “The story reminded me that DIY Arts & Craps are right up GFOPs' alley. It may be too late in the EPL season for this, but an MiB Arts & Crap contest would be fabulous. The rules are simple: submit a pic on social of your homemade bauble--a trophy, an award, a poster, a creation --that reflects your team. Submitters make up the category . . .e.g. The Golden Ledger given to Chelsea for outstanding amortization, the No Pannick Prize awarded to Man City, the team with the highest paid legal counsel. I'm sure Rog could conjure a category for the Toffees.” 

We will run this next season. Which starts in just 92 days time. Remember that when the sadness of the season being over kicks in. We are about to go again. And I am going to sculpt a Sean Dyche sculpture made solely out of pie.

Let’s not take a second of watching football together for granted,

Make great memories and savor every second, 

Big Love

Courage.

ROG