My Mrs asked me if I was going to listen to the radio this afternoon. I said why? She asked wasn't it the title decider today in the Prem. I said "Is it? I hadn't noticed". Apparently there is some important football going on. The play off first leg between Burton and Southen I think she meant. To be totally honest who give a flying fig which over priced set of madonas gets to pick up an overpriced trophy. When the team in pole position spends more on one players wages than a second division side can spend on it's entire squad then there is something radically wrong in this world. Man City's wage bill would not be covered by the total expenditure in league 2 and possibly most of league one. It's called shopping when you go out and buy a title not competetive football.
......and this talk of ten Premier Clubs fielding 'B' teams and completely disrupting the league pyramid system.....just adds to the strangle hold that big money has on our domestic game........with the possibility that many smaller clubs would end up being part-timers or disappearing completely. PAFC have voiced their opposition to the possible changes....and many other clubs as well......mustn't ever happening.
However much we would all like our club to be up there competing with the best at the top it is so much like selling your soul to the Devil to get it. The old days of getting something on sheer merit has long gone and the world is a much sadder place for it. My daughter, as you know plym, went to get her degree presented yesterday. We helped her finance wise to do it and it took a lot of hard work and giving up a load of time etc to get it. Nobody gave it to her on a plate and I was as proud as anyone in the room. How much more rewarding is that to Daddy handing something to the offspring without the effort to get somewhere? Same applies to football or anything else in life. Earn it and it feels so much more.
Here in Canada and America the National Hockey League NHL are into their playoffs... the Team that wins it will win it on merit because there is a CAP in place... what do you think of this happening to the English Football game...
It won't happen here BC as to much greed from the owners and the players at the top.. It is to late to change it now.. the football comes second to the money.. a shame but money talks with these over rated buffoons!! I suppose after the World Cup we will have plenty more appearing here..
Sadly you're right Joe it is too late now. Once the horse has got out of the stable then it ain't going back in anytime soon. These money people who have their peeing contest every season using footballers instead of willies would rather destroy the game than not have their contest. If the FA seriously meant to stop overspending and put a cap on expenditure then these people would just go to court and get it thrown out or ignore it.
Manchester City haven't won anything, they've bought it and I for one hope they get hammered under the financial fair play regulations. I'm sorry Liverpool didn't win: not only have they played great football, they started yesterday with 7 British players. The "B" team proposal is bad enough but if anything, the idea that Premier League teams should be able to adopt lower league clubs as feeder teams is even worse. It will be fine for a few clubs in the north and in London but it will place a permanent unfair disadvantage on clubs like ourselves who don't have Premier League neighbours. The problems with British football stem from one thing: the Premier League. Sort that out before ruining the Football League.
The root of the problem I think is SKY SKY SKY SKY SKY SKY SKY SKY SKY SKY SKY SKY SKY SKY SKY SKY SKY SKY SKY SKY SKY SKY SKY SKY SKY SKY SKY SKY SKY SKY SKY. Never been allowed in my home.....and never will. Creaming off the choice sports.......who just say .....yes please we'll have a bit of your lovely cake.......forgetting the fans. Cricket.....down to a few tip bits on C4.......no grass root viewing anymore....test matches lost to the majority of fans. Starting to lose Grand Prix Racing.....only 50% available this season....what dregs will we get next season ? I expect that Rugby will eventually go the same way. Lose exposure of these sports to the masses,especially the young and the golden egg will rot away and we wonder why no young talent is coming through for the future.....we'll all be playing on our X-Boxes etc etc......a country of couch potato fatties.
Ummmmm I see you've let them off global warming, religious extremism and poverty in the third world Plymborn but Sky's sports coverage is quite good you know.... The problem isn't Sky so much as what football has allowed the Premier League to do with all the money surely. One way or another, football has never had a higher profile yet on the other hand, numbers playing it are declining I believe. How about spending some of that Sky money on public pitches and grass roots coaching? Subsidising local amateur clubs even. As regards the England team, stop Premier League clubs swallowing up any good youngster who's made 2 substitute appearances in League 2 and spitting them out 5 years later never having played a competitive match. Leave them at clubs like Argyle where they can get some games and develop their abilities.
notDistant.......I haven't checked Sky out yet regarding......global warming,religious extremism and poverty in the third world.....but I'm sure there involved some way. I just don't like Sky in any form....not just there domination of sport......give me BBC Sport anytime....no continual breaks for adverts and presenters that are not that good.
Its the Buffoons running the FA who are to blame, they are getting as rich as the players.. old farts!!! Sad to say but the game is finished!! I agre with the Liverpool way this season, entertaining attacking football with English players and Goofy!! I went to see a prem game spurs v liverpool 0-5 what a joy to see the attacking.. But the amount of money they earn is obscene..
Ummmm no adverts during the actual events on Sky Plymborn, only at half-time etc.... and if you record it on your Sky box you can fast forward through the adverts AND the punditry. I know the money some of the players get is obscene but in truth, that's not altogether Sky's (or BT's) fault. They just pay the money over and it's the Premier League and the Premier League clubs who decide how to spend it - or waste it in large measure. You only have to look at what players they buy: £35m for Andy Carroll was it? £28m for Torres, £27m for Dzeko, £27m for Fellani? That's wastage nearly as bad as the UK defence budget....
At least Andy Carroll is only a stand bye for Brazil........old fashion style centre forward that would be a novelty in the World Cup.....I cannot see us at present getting past the first three matches. We're taking a few injury prone players..... so Carroll might get a call up.......unless he gets injured packing his kit.
If the players didn't get paid the mega bucks then the club owners would trouser the lot. It's supply and demand that drives the wages up to the obscene levels they are but you cannot blame the players for taking it. You would and I would if given the chance. You can't blame players for leaving clubs either. Play for Argyle for £1k per week or languish in the prem reserves and play nothing much for 15/20k per week. Hmmm, hard choice there isn't it.
Just a slight diversion Plymborn, given we won't get a British ref, I can pretty much guarantee Andy Carroll will be sent off if he should get the call and actually get any significant game-time in the World Cup.
Not that want to disagree with you sensible, but i have to defend SKY in that their coverage of football, cricket, F1 and pretty much everything else is second to none. As well as watching almost every Argyle game in the flesh this season I have also been able to watch most of 'my premiership team' (Liverpool) matches live. Throw in the 55" Tv screen and it is almost like being there. Cricket has always been my thing, even above argyle (just about) and I am fairly sure modern cricket would have died without SKY coverage; contrary to popular belief, the adverts don't impact on the sport and even during the test matches you don't miss a single ball. yes the SKY billions have grossly inflated the money in the football premiership but on balance I think they have done more good than bad. Go on, give it a go, you might even enjoy it.
Not a chance lyndhurst. I actually have no inclination to watch loads of prem football. I don't have a second team and not one interests me. I have no doubt the coverage is second to none and to be honest I would expect it to be. The sad part for me is that people in Plymouth watch it 24/7 as they say and don't grow any affinity for their home town outfit or watch football in the flesh. Now I know the product is sadly lacking and has been for a while now but in the good old days it was all you had on top of match of the day which showed highlights only. It's saturation coverage I blame the media for. As for the money side of it well that is obscene. How Cardiff can get £62m for failure I just don't get and the payments relegated clubs get thanks to Sky and the other TV companies just gives them such an advantage in the Championship to make it unfair.
okay, it is only my northern roots (though I havent lived there for 35 years and I used to watch Burnley then!) that draws me to watching some prem matches . If I didn't have a genuine connection to a team then I would agree with with you that i doubt I would bother to watch many games; much in the same way that I have absolutely no interest in European football- champions league etc.(though I will next season!). Your points about the money are well made and I cant really argue against them. Having said that, the odd game that argyle have featured in on SKY has provided much needed revenue for the club.
I've always said that if you come from somewhere else other than Plymouth then supporting/following that hometown team is fine with me. Connection is everything but jumping on a winning bandwagon for the sake of being there is what I can't stand. I can't get into watching two foreign teams either. Match on ITV4 tonight but I can't be arsed to switch it on. No longer interested in Champion's League now either. In those competitions it's ok to shout for the British team even if it isn't your's. Bit of patriotism and all that but I never feel much if they get knocked out. Cup final on Saturday. Going out for lunch as Grandaughter is 6 that day and would rather be there than watching the footy. If Argyle were at home then I would be at Home Park. Can't help it I'm incurable at my age.
