Someone else who feels the same as a lot of us have been saying.... New Bristol City head coach Lee Johnson says it will soon be "impossible" for lower-league clubs to reach the Premier League because of parachute payments. Clubs relegated from the Premier League will receive at least £64m over three years from next season. Teams who spend only one season in the top tier will be given about £51m. "Looking at a League One team now, if they don't get into the Premier League within the next five years there'll be absolutely zero chance," said Johnson. "I think because there's such huge payments as far as the parachute stuff it'll just be impossible. "It will end up going into [a system of] feeder clubs and there's no way around that because it just can't be sustainable." Asked by BBC Radio Bristol whether he thought football would change "fundamentally" in the near future, the 34-year-old agreed it would. "You've only got to look at the likes of Manchester City now that have got City Group, and they've got six or seven clubs all around the world that are very closely linked," he said. "It's becoming almost like a franchise global market scenario and the big clubs with the big money will just expand. "It will become very difficult for the likes of an Oldham or Barnsley to get into the Premier League." IMO without a mega rich owner like Bournemouth have, the days of the likes of Carlisle United ever getting to the top flight again are long gone.
I think the days of teams like us being capable of winning the title have long since disappeared, and you only have to look at some of the champions of the past eras to get my point. Preston, Bolton, Leeds, Ipswich, Aston Villa and many others make up the history books of the sport and now they and many others are struggling to survive in the mad world that has been created by some greedy groups formed supposedly to advance the game in ways beyond our small island dreams. Be careful what you wish for is my buzzword and I can slowly see the life being strangled out of the game by people motivated solely by money, and when you approach that dangerous part of town you had better watch your step. Just look around and see how these megalomaniacs have used their money to bring their version of world class football to our shores only to throw cash around at some waste of space called a footballer who frankly doesn't give a **** about anything except the money. Long gone are the days of players who command respect from the faithful and I doubt most of them would even cross the street to piss on you if you were on fire, unless there was a hefty appearance fee involved. I said a short time ago that unless someone stands up and is counted we have no right to complain, and so my hat is off to Lee for his words. When I hear during football commentaries that a certain player on a certain team cost more than the entire opposition it makes my blood boil and when I hear about rear ends like Balotelli complaining about his lot in life then I just want to tell him to get lost. Regrettably nothing will change and nobody will do anything to address the serious issues surrounding the survival of teams like ours, probably because we can't afford the monies that are needed to be thrown in to the hats of the ultra-rich. Didn't anybody have the foresight to see where this new road was going to lead us, or were they so busy filling their own pockets not to notice the warning signs? There are many that will make the argument that foreign investment is the saviour of football, and yet I know most from my era that will say the exact opposite and as to who is right well the jury is out. Greed and corruption are insipid, but well known, enemies and looking around the sad situations that blight many parts of the world today it makes me wonder why there is always questionable money available for footballers and arms? Is it any wonder that so many have lost the plot, or the desire, to support this debacle any longer? Well said Lee.
THE WORRY is amongst the prem heirachy that more than half of them nowadays fear they are likely to fill the bottom 3 spots at some time ..no good looking / voting a massive amount of money then so they do it now and periodically, 3 years up it ..
All of this cash against the backdrop of what I consider to be a Premier League product that is declining in quality over the past 2-3 seasons despite the vast sums of money. Far to many average and mercenaries in the Prem league right now. Tbh I rarely watch the Prem League now, I think the Championship is far better.
I haven't watched much EPL for several years. I cant stand the pre match hype and mindless expectations that Sky and co build into every game, which are then often a let down once the football starts. The spark and hook that top flight English football had in me when Sky first came along has long since disappeared in a flurry of overpaid, overhyped, and generally underperforming players of all nationalities. The top level game sold it's soul and lost a lot of credibility for me. I can see why it's appealing to young kids in Asia and around the world, but it leaves me pretty cold. I do watch most live Championship games and despite the poor TV product in the highlights programme, the rest of the football league goals too. Especially enjoyable when the Rovers lose at some horrible place like Accrington !
Lee Johnson should speak to Mr Lansdown. Bristol City FC voted FOR an increase in parachute payments to relegated clubs and FOR the creation of the EPPP. Neither of which benefits clubs beyond the few. Stranger still could be Mr Lansodwns admiration for the EPL and the work done by its head. Maybe it is not strange given that both work in worlds where the free market is all.
I tune in to Match of the day but dont get too concerned if I miss it- Watching City in both the Championship and League 1, I do notice the difference in particular to the way top flight players seem to know exactly how to fall, trip over a trailing leg, how to get free kicks and get the ref on side- There are championship teams I have seen this year that also do it very well. I dont like it, but it is part of the modern game and for that reason , we wouldn't last 5 minutes in the top flight as we aren't as savvy-Maybe that's why most do prefer the level we are at and maybe we ought to be just grateful for our lot
I think it's horses for courses. If we were in the EPL we'd have players that could cheat the same as every other club in the division. The most disappointing aspect for me is how long this has been happening in the English game (basically from around the time that Jurgen Klinsmann arrived as before that it was the right of the Italians!) and it would be so easy to cut it out permanently. The thing modern players idolise the most is money. So make every culprit who is found guilty of cheating an example of, and instead of fining them half an hours wages, why don't the FA up the ante and fine them a couple of million quid, and impose a 10 game ban with no wages during that period to boot ? All wishful thinking I know but it really wouldn't be difficult to stamp this out, even if the measures used weren't quite as draconian as my suggestions. It might be a deterrent....?
It would not be difficult at all. Can somebody point towards where in the FA four corners model cheating is included? There are no FA modules on diving so it must not be part of modern football. The FA do have the power to alter rules to a degree. Diving can carry post citing the same penalties as fouls. It could carry harder penalty. Players are routinely banned for clumsy challenges where they have not actively sought to cheat unlike simulation.
The game has gone to hell in a hand cart. I enjoy watching Championship matches over Premiership any day which highlights my disgust at how the game has been taken over by mercenaries and ne'er-do-wells. In the ancient times when I was a referee I don't think many of today's breed, who will spend more effort on arguing a throw in decision and berating every referee call rather than focusing on what they are being paid well for, would still be on the pitch after 90 minutes. Probably would end up in front of the European Footballing Human Rights Court at the mere thought of punishing the blatantly obvious. Stupid.
Are they really cheating? We weren't complaining when Tomlin went over for the softest of penalties against Charlton recently- Yes it was a foul, but hardly any contact- If that's the rules refs operate within, its difficult to blame the players doing it- Oddly though, defenders seem to be able to practically wrestle forwards to the floor at corners and that goes unpunished!
Are they really cheating? Yes. Constantly. Tomlin went over for the softest of penalties against ... It is **** whoever does it. If that's the rules refs operate within/ Oddly though, defenders seem to be able to practically wrestle forwards to the floor ... It clearly is not.
Still think football should be taking a look at the way rugby officials run the game. The only players allowed to talk to the ref are the captains. And that is very rarely, they take the refs decision as gospel and you can see when ever the ref books or sin bins someone it's captains first to say why then player goes no arguing. Any back chat and it goes forward 10 yards no questions just happens. Could Timo work in football? Yes if it stays the way the refs if rugby is and that it is the refs decision no player can ask for it. But it won't happen because players and managers want to challenge it as well. People knock rugby but it's ran IMO correctly. Plus the main difference and every knows it in rugby you play for 80 minutes pretending it didn't hurt where in football you cry like it hurts throughout 90 minutes.
I like the perceived respect from players towards the referee. No nonsense-just listen to what I say and then get on with the game. Nice.
