What do Paul Scholes, Joey Barton, Julien Faubert and Younes Kaboul all have in common? They’re all likely to miss the start of the season because of injury – that’s what.

All are key players in their own particular way, but it must be extremely galling for Newcastle to be without their newly-appointed midfield dynamo Barton, for troubled West Ham to have Faubert miss the big kick-off.

In nearly all these cases (and I’m sure there are many more that probably haven’t merited media attention),  the  problems have been caused in pre-season friendly games.

'Asians are suckers for United, hence their Far East venture, with two or three half-hearted games thrown in'


I remember the good old days (oh no, not again!) when the furthest clubs ventured abroad was Ireland, for a friendly kick-around against St Pats and Derry City. Not any more. The object of the exercise these days is to clock up the old Air Miles with a trip to the United States or Far East.

But, of course, we all know that the real reason is money. Yes, the currency of success, the currency of commercial enterprise, the currency that makes our football world go round.

Manchester United aren’t in Asia to sharpen up their game in readiness for the Community Shield clash with Chelsea in a couple of weeks’ time. Their business is much more important. They’re spreading the gospel. And that gospel is Manchester United FC.

The commercial side of the game has become so vital and crucial to survival that success is not measured in clicks at the turnstile but in club regalia going through the tills around the world. Asians are suckers for United, hence their Far East venture, with two or three half-hearted games thrown in.

But of course that can all come at a price, and it seems Scholes has picked up an injury that necessitated his immediate return to Manchester for hospital treatment and observation.

Alan Curbishley will be gutted at West Ham by the injury to Faubert which will sideline the newcomer for at least six months. How he picked up his Achilles tendon problem isn’t quite clear, but the £6.1m man won’t be doing much in the way of wage-earning until next year at the earliest.

Martin Jol won’t be too happy, either, at losing Kaboul to injury in a friendly match against the Kaiser Chiefs in Durban, South Africa. He fought off competition from Chelsea, AS Roma and Inter Milan to bring the 21-year-old Frenchman to Spurs for a reported £7m fee. Now he has to play the waiting game.

Newcastle manager Sam Allardyce was looking to Barton for midfield stability at St James’ Park, but the former Manchester City man has picked up the same injury that put David Beckham out of the game for so long – a fractured metatarsal in the foot.

That’s means a £5.8m investment won’t be picking up any interest for a while, all because of a friendly(?) game against Carlisle United.

I can see the value in friendlies that generate vast amounts of money by way of sponsorship and all the peripheral commercial dealings. I’m not so sure about the so-called friendlies against the Barnets and Carlisles of this world. You never know if there’s a young wannabe out there looking to make a name for himself!