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Will there ever be a level playing field in football?

Discussion in 'Sunderland' started by rb92, Oct 11, 2021.

  1. rb92

    rb92 Well-Known Member

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    In terms of money? I’ve been football mad for most of my life and so got used to the fact that some clubs have more money than others and therefore have an advantage. Yes it’s always been this way but I used to love hearing my dads stories about how Brian Clough turned two provincial clubs in Derby and Forest into powerhouses before the Premier League ruined football. Let us face it the days of a charismatic man like Clough lifting a club to such heights are long gone.

    In recent years my disillusionment with watching the same 2/3 wealthy clubs hoovering up all of the trophies has led me to other sports, namely the NFL, rugby and cricket: three sports where a salary cap ensure that fans of every club can dream that maybe some day they will see their team win a trophy. Recently the Kansas City Chiefs won their first Super Bowl in 50 years, in the rugby Premiership Exeter Chiefs were in the second tier a decade ago but have recently won a European Cup and two league titles.

    Surely adding some competitive balance to football is a no brainer? If a salary cap is unworkable then how about limiting squad sizes to ensure a more even spread of talent? UEFA need to scrap FFP and get radical.
     
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  2. Gatesy

    Gatesy Well-Known Member

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    Well said and I'm also an avid follower of the NFL. I love how teams can go from 1st pick to last pick in no time, look at the Eagles! The year the Chiefs won the SB was also amazing, the times in the play offs they went down about 20 points but brought it back to win was unreal! How often do you see a team get out of sight in football but think hold on, you just never know! Look at the Patriots SB win over the Falcons as further evidence. It's a great sport and its popularity over here is growing all the time.

    I only watch SAFC these days, couldn't give a **** about the Premier League and until some parity is restored I think it will slowly fade further and further.
     
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  3. rooch 3

    rooch 3 Well-Known Member

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    Or prey that they form a super league and piss off for good.
     
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  4. E.T. Fairfax

    E.T. Fairfax Well-Known Member

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    Nope, there's too many rich people too willing to pull the ladder up and sod the rest. We are all guilty of having that attitude to some extent. The only thing that will level the playing field would be caused by a major event not directly linked to football. A world war maybe? Another deadlier pandemic?
     
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  5. JC91

    JC91 Well-Known Member

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    Arsenal fans must be happy with news that QSI are apparently interested in buying them.
     
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  6. The Norton Cat

    The Norton Cat Well-Known Member

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    It used to be the case in Italy (and other countries, I believe) that players couldn't sign for a club abroad before they were 28. I think a similar system now might help to level out the playing field. If players had to stay at the club that developed them or the club where they first turned pro until a certain age, it would prevent all of the talent pooling at the richer clubs. And would mean that clubs in some of what are now considered to be the weaker European Leagues might go further in European competition, thereby spreading the prize money further.
    Probably completely unworkable, but I'm sure it would make for better competition.
     
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  7. FellTop

    FellTop Well-Known Member

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    Football in England is a pretty grotesque thing. The premier league has turned what was once a beautiful sport which represented communities and supporters into the perfect illustration of greed. The premier league is also the best example I have ever seen of self aggrandisement. It talks about being the greatest league in the world, which is frankly absolute rubbish. It has never been the best. 60% of the games are dire and 70% of the time the result can be predicted in advance. Dont get me wrong there are some brilliant teams like Man City now, but often watching them is like watching a training session rather than a competitive game.

    It isnt just the premier league. Champions league is garbage as well until probably the quarter final stage. The other euro leagues the same. But all are there to put money into the coffers.

    I cannot evisage a time when football will see the likes of a Forest again, or even a Wimbledon. People can point to Leicester but even they disregarded financial rules to do it. It is even less likely now the Newcastle takeover has been passed, which will prove to be another nail in the coffin of the English game. I was angry about the european super league but this takeover will see that come back round again. The likes of Spurs and Arsenal, maybe even Liverpool, will be assuming 1 less champions league spot to compete for in a couple of years so they will want to protect their future revenue streams with a closed european shop sooner rather than later.

    My rather gloomy outlook is that we will never get back to any form of level playing field, unless the premier league is made to change its business model.
     
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  8. clockstander

    clockstander Well-Known Member

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    Some control over the number of players a club can send out on loan could be a start, personally I would like to see loan deals abolished.
     
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  9. Saf

    Saf Not606 Godfather+NOT606 Poster of the year 2023

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    Loan deals were crucial in the development of players such as Pickford and Embleton. We have relied on them loads as have most other teams. It's a good chance for clubs to get their players some game time when they aren't quite ready for first team football at their clubs current level but are no longer improving in the reserve/youth games.

    I'm with you 100% on the number of players that a club can send out. Chelsea are ridiculous, I believe they've had more than 40 players out on loan at any one time. They know the vast majority are never even intended to play for Chelsea but by loaning them out they're upping their value and making a few quid. It's a business model.
     
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  10. Saf

    Saf Not606 Godfather+NOT606 Poster of the year 2023

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    To answer the OP... No, they'll never be a level playing field and there never has been so I think calls for one now are a bit hollow.
     
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  11. TeamOfTalents

    TeamOfTalents Well-Known Member

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    They'll end up with a few teams with all the cash and a lot of empty stadiums if they don't change course.
    No point in sport without a sporting chance.
     
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  12. clockstander

    clockstander Well-Known Member

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    My objection to the loan system is ideological, its not about development its about gambling and for every Embleton there is a Januzaj.
     
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  13. rb92

    rb92 Well-Known Member

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    You are right of course but there was a maximum wage up until the sixties and the big clubs also had to share their gate receipts with the smaller clubs until the early 80s. It’s no coincidence that since the latter ended football has been dominated by a select few.
     
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  14. rowley

    rowley Well-Known Member

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    A fair question, but I doubt there ever was one.

    But looking back to say, the sixties when eight different teams won the league, it is clear that the game has been corrupted since then by the self advancement, firstly by those who were formerly known as the " big five" and then the paid up subs of Chelsea and City.

    Every structural rule change in football during that time has been made in their favour, so that they can have ever more money, to pay the same players ever higher wages, and the same agents ever grester fees.

    The game at that level is , to part quote a CI of Manchester Police in the 80s, "Swirling around in a cesspit of it's own making".

    A massively hyped up, four team league.
     
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  15. Sunderlad

    Sunderlad Well-Known Member

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    The only worrying thing about all of this is when football stops making as much money!! These so called BIG owners may move on, and then football clubs will be dropping left, right and centre.
     
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  16. rooch 3

    rooch 3 Well-Known Member

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    That sounds great<ok>
     
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  17. Essayyeffcee

    Essayyeffcee Well-Known Member

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    No. That dream died as soon as the Premier League was formed
     
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  18. cumbrianmackem

    cumbrianmackem Well-Known Member

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    Or as the saying goes How the mighty have fallen.
    Can you imagine the laughs well all have when the Gooners, Bindippers etc swap places with the likes of Accrington and Burton, they're fans cry like girls when they lose three games on the trot never mind getting a taste of what we've been through these past four years.
    If it's a realistic possibility then bring it on I say.
     
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  19. FellTop

    FellTop Well-Known Member

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    If Liverpool or another of that ilk you can bet that will be when the govt step in to save football...
     
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  20. JC91

    JC91 Well-Known Member

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    Government save Liverpool hmmmm
     
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