UEFA could just rule that each league has to have a fair distribution deal for TV money. I'm sure that Sepp Blatter, honorary member of Real Madrid, would agree to this.
Quite true i have lived in Spain for over 20yrs and haved watched in horror as the other clubs have been killed off by the BIG 2(HUGE).Everywhere you go in Spain(even very small towns nowhere near Barca or Madrid)there is a Barca and R.Madrid surporters bar.All my friends surport 1 of these clubs even though the nearest big team is Valencia.They think i´m strange coz i surport Valencia(Spurs 1st).I just hope this doesn´t happen in the UK.As i have said before R.Madrid are even helped by the taxes of the Madrid people.
The truly biggest point that Wenger made was that the economic situation in the Eurozone is rapidly heading for a major collapse. The situation within European football is really just not an issue in comparison. I agree with most of the posters on here in that the cost of all of the wages is too high for the wellbeing of both the clubs and the fans who are supposed to finance them. However, when national economies collapse there will be some very hasty re-writing of contract terms between the clubs and players and clubs and commercial partners. The teams that will best placed to ride this storm (even though they will be effected) are those who's owners wealth is majorly based on non-European wealth.
Same where I live , PBH. The local bars are divided as Real, or Barca, bars - mostly Real here, as they tend to hate The Catalans. The nearest "big" teams would be Murcia, or Hercules. I've never spoken to one supporter of either.
THere are checks and balances in the NFL system though. The draught and wage controls mean that there is not a situation like we will have in Europe, which unchecked, could lead to the destruction of national teams and the dilution of leagues all over the continent. The usual suspects; Barcelona ManUSA Real Madrid et al don't give a stuff as they will be easily identified brands in this "brave new world." The traditions and history of the game will mean nothing. The problem is FIFA and EUFA have sold the game to the money men, who care, obviously really, about money only.
Thanks for info PNP. Of course Wenger isn't a one club man like Billy Nick, and hasn't retired yet either. His French title with Monaco brings him equivalence overall with Billy Nick trophy-wise. I don't know if Wenger's won anything else substantial. Wenger is without doubt one of the most successful managers in English football history. It's also worth noting he got Arsenal to a CL final too, something that has eluded all our managers since the competition as EC began in the 50s.
He also won a Coupe de France with Monaco and an Emperor's Cup in Japan, GH10. As Ensil rightly points out though, Nicholson didn't have the resources available that Wenger had when he was winning things and it's a different era, so it's not a fair comparison, really. Wenger's European record is pretty dire, considering. He's reached 2 finals in about 20 years of competitions and won none. When you look at what he's had to work with, that's quite poor.
I find that most Spaniards hate the Catalans,it´s the whole Catalan separatist thing and the fact they always want to speak in Catalan even to other Spaniards.Anyway we must nearly be neighbours then.
I live about 55km's west of Alicante on the Madrid road.a place called Villena.Your near Torrevieja then?Only about 60km's from me then.
Hi PNP, disagree with that point of yours and Ensil, in Billy Nick's day all teams had smaller squads than they have now, so it doesn't negate Wenger reputation at all. He has a big squad, so do the rest of the big 4 plus City and us. Given he's also won the French Cup, he has actually already won more major trophies than Billy Nick, and he's far from retired. Not winning a European trophy is a blot on his record, but reaching a CL final is something no Spurs manager has ever achieved. Wenger isn't up there with Fergie of the current crop, but his place as a top manager of the last 25 years is assured. His work with Monaco, and for a long time with Arsenal is exemplary.
In the past managers had a smaller pool of talent to work with and far less resources available, which meant that there was a more level playing field, in my opinion, GH10. It was rare to see anyone dominate for long periods, because you had to have periods of rebuilding. Wenger may have reached the Champions League final, but he's done it in an era when finishing in the top 4 guarantees a place in the competition. Nicholson had to win the title to qualify and still managed to reach the semi-final in his one outing, losing to the eventual winners Benfica.
Fair enough PNP, we differ in our analysis, but that's no problem, it's the stuff of football forums.
We was robbed, at least two of Greasies disallowed goals were onside. Not that I intend to harp on about it forever.
Snide comments aside, it's worth remembering that FIFA divvy up the earnings from the World Cup and distribute them to all members of FIFA. Which is a bit galling to nations that FIFA deicided don't exist and shouldn't be invited in, like Gibraltar or Greenland... As for Spain, whilst there is legitimate worry that Barca and real have monopolised the top two places in a manner usually seen in the SPL, at least the top four places haven't been monopolised in the manner they have in the Premier League. On the subject of UEFA and City's naming rights scam, what is more likely to happen is UEFA says it violates the terms of Financial Fair Play - so City promptly make a mad dash to the Court for Arbitration in Sport and get it overturned, much like Chelsea did when they were slapped with a transfer ban after the Kakuta sheninigans.
