Like Jose moaning last season that he couldn't just buy who he wanted from Spurs? City are the perfect example of what money is doing to football. They were UTTER ****e until the minute they were bought. In 2007/08 they broke the record for fewest goals scored at home. They were a yoyo club struggling at the bottom end of the premier league. They went from that to to 5th in 2 yrs and have not been out of the top 4 since. They have won the league twice, the fact cup once or twice and the league cup twice. 6 trophies in 9 years since they were taken over but nothing in the 33 years or so before. Chelsea won the title in 2005, 2006, 2010, 2015 and 2017. They won the Fa Cup in 2007, 2009, 2010 and 2012. They won Th CL in 2012 and the EL in 2013. They won the league cup in 2005, 2007 and 2015. They were taken over by Abramovic in 2003. They had won 8 trophies in their entire history prior to him taking over. To deny money is important is ridiculous. Leicester did an amazing thing 18 months ago but are a shadow of the team they were as they do not have they money to push on. I am 50 and miss the days when the double was a near impossibility to do. When the FA cup was won by more than5 or 6 different team in 20 years. In the 25 years before the premier league 16 different clubs won the fa cup. Since the premier league started it has been won by 8 clubs in 25 years In the 25 years before the premier league there were 9 different title winners ... in the 25 since there have been 6. In the 25 years before the premier league there were 16 different winners of the League cup. In the 25 years since there have been 12. It is no surprise that the title and the cups are dominated by the richest clubs who can afford the highest transfer fees and to pay top wages. It's a simple fact of footballing life. Maybe our move to the new ground will elevate us into that league...but it does not make it right imo.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/41810294 No mention of socks, but I know who my money is on........ RCL, where are you??
Money has always been a factor - it's just that the vast sums available to the top clubs dwarfs the income of most of the rest now. The margins weren't so significant in the past. There is a hierarchy of clubs based on wealth that ensures that the gap between the top few and the rest is so vast there is no realistic chance of the rest competing. There might be two or three clubs who can join that elite if they perform well for three or four seasons, but 90% of the football league have no chance of winning the league or qualifying for the CL. - or even picking up a cup. If this money based order continues, some of the great clubs of the past will never win another trophy and success will be seen as just getting to and surviving in the top league. Eventually, you would think interest would wane, but there is no sign of this at present. There are plenty of clubs getting great support outside the PL as fans seem content with the contest to battle for playoff places etc. The hope that the likes of Leeds, Forest, Derby might rise again and challenge if they make it to the PL and get their share of the big money seems to sustain their fans' interest. I think the bubble will burst sooner rather later when years of comparative failure leave the fans of all but the top six clubs wanting change. What's the answer though? Take money off the big clubs and we'll see them tantrum and join a European super league.
they've talking about that sort of league for years.originally the thought was matching up british teams with british players against the Spanish, Italians etc. those days are gone.there maybe a team/s in Britain today WITHOUT a british player!!!!!?
