Unlike you, SS, to miss the point. Our blue friend has a very valid point. Like any Saints fan, I'm enjoying the ride at the moment but there is a nagging feeling that the whole thing is a crock of ****.
I didn't miss the point. I deliberately made another point. I started the thread, and I'm very aware of the general point being made. I know the whole thing is a crock of ****. Football is a crock of ****. We waste so much time over it, but it is compelling.
Osvaldo may be a divo but not a diva....unless you know something we don't Talking about the way football is going...saw that United of Manchester has bought some land for a 5000 seat stadium. Apparently they have an academy and a ladies team. All paid for by fans. A real feel good story.
Annoyingly true. Thanks for the explanation, even if I still don't quite get the point. I really must take more water with it,
Disagree. If anything, it's the opposite: there's such an enormous pile of money and a strong status quo to be had between the PL/CL that there's less motivation for those teams to break away. The risk/reward right now does not favour something that drastic; if the bubble pops at some point, though...
The PL is actually one of the most competitive leagues in Europe - that's why they call it 'the most exiting' - The rest of the big Europian leagues have one (or two if you're lucky) good teams and a lot of dross trailing way behind. It's only because we have 4 or so teams that can win the league, and pack of quality teams chasing them, and the unpredictability of exactly when it is that those teams will get beaten by lesser opposition that brings the money in. There's so much money in the PL, and so draining away from other Europian leagues, because it is so unpredictable. No other league in Europe would have Chelsea, reining Europian champions, being beaten by a team clsoe to the bottom of the table away (what we did last season). Of course the irony is that as the money gets poured in, the league will get less and less exiting because the big clubs will just keep getting that much richer and it'll get ever harder to get into the top 4\6 as the money per place gets ever more. And so the very thing that Sky\BT are paying for will fade away. It'll halt if ever any one or two teams gain total dominance like in Spain because the broadcasters will go there for cheaper football, and the pack will have time to catch up with the top two again - if they do, the money comes back. If they don't it'll collaapse like a house of cards. Bingo - many Prem teams provide better opposition that a lot of 'top' Europian sides anyway and to keepthe money coming in you need upsets like Stoke beating Man City, that's what keeps the prem exiting. Them losing to a big name team from the elsewhere in Europe is not as romantic. And you certainly won't get stories like ours. Saints are a gift to the sporting press at the moment we're every neutrals 2nd team (bar pompey fans). All football fans want us to shake up the top four and achieve somthing spectacular. Chelsea winning one season, Barca, the next then Barca again, then Bayern, then Man City just isn't as romantic and never can or will be. The Prem, however, has shown it retains some romance and intrerest with teams like us this season, Swansea last, Everton forever, the emergence of Spurs as a force etc.
You say that but there have been four teams that have won the league since 1995 and three teams since 2005. And of those three teams, it's Man U plus whoever happens to be being bankrolled by some billionaire at the time. Before it was Chelsea, now it's Manchester City. *yawn* Okay, so it's not quite Spain/Scotland but it's still hardly a case that we have multiple teams that could win it. (Yes, I know neither Manchester clubs are doing fantastically at the moment, but they'll be competing for first and second come the end of the season I think and Arsenal and Liverpool will have fallen away, unfortuantely). To quote Keegan, I would "Love it, love it" if Southampton (or West Brom or anyone really) finish above both Manchester clubs.
Which largely places it on equal footing with other leagues. There have been five Serie A winners since 1995, three since 2001. The Bundesliga has seen six champions since 1995, with four one-time winners (those same six have won every title since 1983). Eredivisie has featured four champions from 1999 on, five since 1995...and those same five have taken every title since the mid 60s.
It is a good league, and wide open this year. I'm sure we can all agree on "anyone but QPR" for this season's winners.
Got your eye on that league in a few years? Realistically at the top of any sport you're unlikely to see more than a handful compete for the top prize and usually it's 2 or 3 which have a realistic chance of success at any one time. Even in the american sports which are much praised for there equality measures, some clubs are far larger and more successful than others. It's only the lottery style end of season play offs which give an impression of parity, much like our FA Cup. The fact is if you have the right owner, coach and players you can develop a dynasty, much like Liverpool and Manchester United have done in English football. One huge dynasty in Alex Ferguson has finished and there is a good chance that Manchester United may not win the league for a few seasons. Perhaps that dry spell could go on for as long as Arsenal or even Liverpool, but like Liverpool they're unlikely to fade outside the top 10 because of the size and status with which that club has developed. So the longer that dynasty lasts, the longer it will take to fade. When Abramovich leaves Chelsea When Wenger leaves Arsenal When the Arabs leave City In 20 years time the top of the premier league will have some old favourites but it will also have some new ones who are only there because of the money.
Actually I think what you're doing here is praising the Premier League. It's definitely to the league's credit that so many promoted teams are able to stay up. It seems to be a strong trend that most do.
