So considering we've been promoted for the first time in over 10 years and are playing a higher league than the previous season for the first time in yonks, some would say we're on our way back to where we want to be (something a number of players have mentioned in their first interview at the club: i.e. stating their ambition helping the club get back to where we want to be). The question is, where is it we want to be? The PL is the obvious choice, but is it really where we want to be? For me personally, I am not sure. I thought, why not come up with a list of pros and cons... These are just my own personal views: Pros: Much more money for the club which (if not used badly) should secure our financial stability Linked to this, it's unlikely we could afford a new stadium without the riches of the PL Much more media coverage in mainstream press We'd be on TV way more! Match of the Day is far better than the Channel 5 highlights programme, certainly in League 1 and 2 Maybe a few more exotic foreign players Maybe greater Pompey representation in international tournaments, giving them more interest The possibility of getting into the Europa League (didn't give a fig about the Chumpions League) and playing exotic teams from far flung places like Georgia and Armenia Maybe the chance to play more exciting exotic friendlies in exotic places rather than endless games against various clubs on the south coast (for example Everton are playing in Tanzania of all places!) Cons Let's be honest, we'll never win it Let's be honest, we're just there to make up the numbers Prices for tickets will skyrocket It'll be harder to get tickets for games, especially if Fratton Park is still falling down We'll probably end up with a team of mercenaries, with very few/no youth (or even English) players The top 6 places or so will be monopolised by a group of teams so it'll be a pointless battle for mid-table most seasons If not, it'll be a relegation battle, and we'll lose way more games than we win The days of winning most games will be gone So tbh, the Premier League doesn't seem that appealing, especially as many of the pros aren't necessarily PL specific but could perhaps be achieved in the Championship (e.g. more exciting friendlies, a bit of foreign exoticness, greater Pompey representation in international tournaments), a league which is much more open which many teams can actually realistically have an ambition of winning, as opposed to about three in the PL. What does everyone else think? Do you want us to reach the PL, or would you prefer us to be a Championship side, competing at the top of the table?
BOOO...........So when will the bovver boys have a chance to get together and have a serious debate................
C'mon lads, you are letting the South Coast down, even little Bournemouth are an established PL club now....
Our last stint in the top league lasted 27 years, how long was yours again?.... * Waits for Lapras to mention trophies won 70 years ago*
On that note where's SB3? Where about a month away from seasons start and we don't have our good luck thread on here yet
As for the topic of the thread, then the PL is highly overrated yeah. I miss the league 1 days so much now looking back, much better atmosphere even with smaller crowds. No silly constant hype, proper footy Compared with the sterile media hype driven world of the PL which just feels so sterile. The general match day experience is so **** now, the atmosphere poor 95% of the time. At the City home game last season I saw 'fans' in our end taking photos of City players celebrating their goals At the United home game there was a bloke who seemed to have his heart set on filming the entire match until I made a comment to him about it... Sorry this has turned into a bit of rant but I hate what top flight football has become in the modern era, it's **** and not what I want from my matchday experience. I'm not old either - only mid 20's I'm gonna try and do more aways next year and sacrifice say 3/4 home games per 1 away.
Not seen since January stopped contributing to the prediction league which in itself was a bad omen as our references to his "ring of confidence" and "Vaseline" seemed to be reasonable bait - one can only he assume after farting he self combusted and landed on a remote island in the outer Hebrides never to be seen or heard of again - shame good little sh*t stirrer..........
Hope nothing serious happened to him, and that he really just got bored and stopped posting. That's the thing with forums. You get quite chummy with people you don't know and then they can disappear and nobody knows what has taken place.
My heart says I'd like Pompey to be a top half Championship side and that you can shove the Premier League, with all the noses in the trough up your ass. However, being a yoyo club such as Sunderland or Newcastle would have financial advantages - the club would get a lot more money for losing all 38 Premier League matches than for finishing 8th in the Championship and winning the League Cup and the FA Cup. But what would you enjoy more as a fan?
There's no shame in being a yo-yo club provided it's at a level which matches the stature of the club itself. My personal view is that Pompey could be a successful long-term Premier League side but I would be quite content for Pompey to be bouncing around between Premier League and Championship, and Pompey should never be playing lower than League One
Cracking topic for debate and good banter - cheers Majr - I think, like a few my heart says Championship. Don't get me wrong the PL was an exciting time and I'll never forget it but we could never win it now (ok Leicester!! I hear the cry) and I have for many years said the Championship is the most even of the four leagues where you look at the season and it's a proper battle from the start for the top amongst practically the whole division. I think to be fair to both our Stripey neighbours and the Cherries both have done very well, constantly disproving the theory that football stops at London. Now Brighton join them - so I guess yes for a season or two I'd love all 4 of us in the PL just to show the nation that the South has a stake. There is no doubting that if we got there we'd need to do a West Brom and bounce up and down a bit to build a solid financial base. On balance though it's the Championship - with maybe Majr's yo yo ing.
