Possibly the first and only time I've agreed with Kevin Keegan

[pasty]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/n/newcastle_united/7384247.stm

Newcastle boss Kevin Keegan fears the domination of the Premier League's top four is a threat to the top flight.

"This league is in danger of becoming one of the most boring but great leagues in the world."

He feels fifth is the best the clubs outside the 'big four' can realistically aim for - even with plenty of funds. "The top four next year will be the same top four as this year,"

Can anyone see any team breaking into the top four of the Premier League?

 

[JJ McClure]

Well Chelsea only became one of the top four when Abramovich took over. So I guess if some other mind bogglingly rich person took over another club then that's the only way the top four will change any time soon.

 

[Pavilionaire]

This is typical Keegan. Part of me admires him for saying it, while the other part thinks he's an idiot.

I'm sure Alan Shearer would never admit that 5th is the best Newcastle could ever hope for under his command. But for a bout of food poisoning Spurs would have claimed 4th spot only 2 years ago.

There IS a possibility to challenge the top 4, but only when the following 2 criteria are met:

1. That 5th placed team dominates the teams below them.
2, That team is not burdened by a EUFA Cup campaign.

I could see a scenario when, say, Spurs win the UEFA Cup and Levy uses the extra funds to put distance between himself and Villa / Everton / City / Newcastle. Provided they were more consistent than at present and the Big 4 all continued to have good cup runs you could see how they'd sneak into 4th place.

 

[Tricky Dicky]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/n/newcastle_united/7384247.stm

Newcastle boss Kevin Keegan fears the domination of the Premier League's top four is a threat to the top flight.

"This league is in danger of becoming one of the most boring but great leagues in the world."

He feels fifth is the best the clubs outside the 'big four' can realistically aim for - even with plenty of funds. "The top four next year will be the same top four as this year,"

Can anyone see any team breaking into the top four of the Premier League?

Actually yes I can. Not in the v.short-term maybe but these things are cyclical. Someone like Man City could, but adding the right players definitely chase at least 4th (not if they keep changing managers of course).

Anyway, things aren't really much different elsewhere, in fact having a top 4 is more than most top european countries. Look at Spain - its generally 2 or 3 and the same in Italy and Germany.

 

[London Calling]

Isn't also about Keegan having a go at his Chairman, who is also a multi-millionaire, if not billionaire, for failing to put enough money in into the club.

LC

 

[Djmiles]

It depresses me to think that even if a typical mid table team were to do REALLY well the best they could realistically hope for is 3rd or 4th. There is no hope in hell of a team winning the Premiership in the near future without the help of a billionaire, which is a real shame.

 

[Conkers]

It depresses me to think that even if a typical mid table team were to do REALLY well the best they could realistically hope for is 3rd or 4th. There is no hope in hell of a team winning the Premiership in the near future without the help of a billionaire, which is a real shame.

You mean we won't win the Premiership with DK in charge? KNIGHT OUT

 

[Pavilionaire]

I see that recent newspaper stories include Micah Richards to Man Utd, Gareth Barry to Liverpool, Berbatov to Chelsea.

Like Carrick, Wright-Phillips, Joe Cole and Rooney before them the worry is that the other 16 will just feed the Top 4.

Spurs are still the best bet to break into the Top 4 but is Luka Modric really the man to help do it? Like Newcastle, Spurs have a habit of paying over the odds for players.

 

[clapham_gull]

They should introduce a play off component into the qualifications now.

The bottom qualifying place should be decided by an end of season competition.

Think this would liven up the premiership a bit, especially towards the end of the season.

It's worked for the other leagues, why not the premiership ?

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

Like Newcastle, Spurs have a habit of paying over the odds for players.

Like 90k a week for Darren Bent to warm his arse on the bench!

 

[NMH]

Let's not forget a point that is more poignant to us; most of the Prem top teams snap up the best British players as their second and third squads, whilst playing expensive foreign players in the first team.
Thus, the best local players are nicked from the lower divisions merely to collect bigger paychecks playing for reserves before a few hundred people.

That's the saddest part. Our highest paid players could double their wages (and better) playing in some Prem reserve side.

 

[Skint Gull]

Like 90k a week for Darren Bent to warm his arse on the bench!

I don't doubt he's on a lot but I really can't believe he's on that every week!

 

[beorhthelm]

are other leagues any different? its always the same names in the champions leauge. as for the money, Arsenal didnt spend that much last year (and some say it shows in lack of depth) while Liverpool and ManU didnt have that big a net spend, in line with over clubs, its only really Chelsea for which money is almost no issue. The quality of managment at 3 of the clubs (not sure about Grant) is simply different gravy to many others.

so all in all, i think its a bit of a shit thing to say. with a decent manager making decent purchases, theres half a dozen clubs that could compete.

 

[Zesh Rehman]

They should introduce a play off component into the qualifications now.

The bottom qualifying place should be decided by an end of season competition.

Think this would liven up the premiership a bit, especially towards the end of the season.

It's worked for the other leagues, why not the premiership ?

I was about to say this, the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th teams would all be in it and the losing finalist would get the uefa cup spot.

 

[Zesh Rehman]

are other leagues any different? its always the same names in the champions leauge. as for the money, Arsenal didnt spend that much last year (and some say it shows in lack of depth) while Liverpool and ManU didnt have that big a net spend, in line with over clubs, its only really Chelsea for which money is almost no issue. The quality of managment at 3 of the clubs (not sure about Grant) is simply different gravy to many others.

so all in all, i think its a bit of a shit thing to say. with a decent manager making decent purchases, theres half a dozen clubs that could compete.

Are you mental? Liverpool and Man U had a HUGE net spend last year and Chelsea didnt actually spend that much. And Liverpool wasted there money on a load of crap players (except Torres). And that brings me to my next critcism of your post, fair enough Ferguson and Wenger are quality managers, Grant maybe not so good, but Benetiz is RUBBISH

 

[Yoda]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/n/newcastle_united/7384247.stm

Newcastle boss Kevin Keegan fears the domination of the Premier League's top four is a threat to the top flight.

"This league is in danger of becoming one of the most boring but great leagues in the world."

He feels fifth is the best the clubs outside the 'big four' can realistically aim for - even with plenty of funds. "The top four next year will be the same top four as this year,"

Can anyone see any team breaking into the top four of the Premier League?

I've been saying this for months now.

 

[Stat Brother]

Can't help thinking the top 2 will pull away, Liverpool and Arsenal are a little too unstable, at the moment.
Although head and shoulders above all the others.

 

[clapham_gull]

I was about to say this, the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th teams would all be in it and the losing finalist would get the uefa cup spot.

Exactly

Spoke to them to some Premiership fans about it and the view was it's "unfair" and a "rubbish" would get into Europe.

Typical - what it could do (to a certain extent) it generate a bit of cash for the other teams and help the league be a bit more competitive...

.. possibly.

If the system is good enough to the Football League, it's good enough for the Premiership.

Surprised it hasn't been talked of before.

 

[Frutos]

Spurs are still the best bet to break into the Top 4 but is Luka Modric really the man to help do it? Like Newcastle, Spurs have a habit of paying over the odds for players.

Modric is a very, very classy player....on FM2008, at least.

 

[Kukev31]

Completely agree with Keegan, but nothing will change because the big clubs are far too greedy. It was greed that got us into this situation in the first place and it will be greed that sees it eventually destoyed.