It's always interesting when you talk to fellow Championship fans about other sides in the league and one of the talking points is which side you don't like. Inevitably Leeds will always get a mention and there's always going to be a few question marks over Millwall but by and large the two teams who get mentioned more than most are QPR and Leicester - usually with the line 'trying to buy their way out of the league'. It's always an interesting statement for a number of reasons. The first is if you were a Chairman with a few bob and you could see the riches of the Premier League why wouldn't you try to buy your way out. The second is that investment comes with a gamble and spending money on big wages doesn't necessarily win success. The final point is whether it's actually a bit of envy that leads these fans to this conclusion and they'd love to have the players and resources that QPR and Leicester do (who wants to go scrambling around in the loan market on a Friday afternoon when you can have a full squad of players!). What Burnley and Blackpool have both shown this season is arguably how Championship teams should be assembled. Hard work, clever tactics and no ridiculous wages (let's face it footballers wages have increased 3 fold in the last 10 years along with a big hike in admission prices but has the quality of football improved to that degree - if anything I'd say it's deteriorated). It does stick in the throat somewhat that Leicester and QPR are doing so well this season. Whilst pundits question whether the likes of us and the Clarets have what it takes to stay at the top of the league, there are few questions raised about these two sides. In our latest poll, we asked the question who do you think our are main threats. QPR came top, Leicester second and Burnley third. Forest, Watford and Reading completed the list in that order. Whilst the aftermentioned two teams are the main obstacles to success for Blackpool this season (although some would argue we build a few obstacles of our own), there would be a certain sense of satisfaction if neither side were promoted this season and the proposed financial rules eventually curtail the excesses of sides like these. http://www.fansonline.net/blackpool/article.php?id=1809
I doubt that many of us would be surprised that other clubs feel that way about us. At least this writer included Leicester with us. I'm amazed at how many people don't realise how much they have spent on transfers & wages. Forest are only just behind the two of us as well. This is what we must endure since Tango & Cash became involved with us & why many were against us over Mr. Paladini's little errors in the registration af Ale.
We were once 'Little QPR' every ones second club, the loveable losers if you like. Now we're a serious club with serious backing & ambition, a real threat to all clubs in this division & jealousy & spite is par for the course. Bottom line - ****em!
Exactly, I just don't get the jealousy, I mean no one bats an eyelid at the stupid money PL teams splash out and no one even bothers to notice when someone else in the Championship (Leicester) splash the cash. People have an erroneous view of QPR, it is conveniently forgotten that Southampton spent more than us on promotion yet we got all of the ****. The Saints spent more on individual players than we spent on 12. Even Norwich and Swansea have spent plenty of dough. Oher than Austin we've been pretty darned thrifty this summer. Sour grapes is all it is. Lets face it nowadays to succeed in football you have to spend.
Out of interest what did Blackpool do with their parachute payments from the PL....by my reckoning they are still receiving them as they were relegated what 2 seasons ago and the last I heard these payments last for 4 years...... Now they may well run a profitable business but unfortunately in this game now you have to spend a bit of cash to be successful and I can see Blackpool becoming a selling club happy to stay in Championship for the foreseeable......
