Is Football heading for a meltdown?

[vegster]

Don't forget Alan Sugar, who was owner of Tottenham at the time of the formation of the PL, and, co-incidentally manufacturer of the satellite dishes used by Sky. There was no conflict of interest there, no siree Bob

He also got out pretty quickly when he realised what a murky pool he had entered.

 

[wakeytom]

Pele, Cruyff, Best, Zico, Gascoigne (who straddled both eras) Maradona would piss all over any current Premier League player. Messi, Bale and Renaldo are arguably as good / better and they play in....well, you know where they play. The difference is that the first list seemingly did it whilst variously pissed, smoking or on the devil's dandruff. Imagine if they's had sports gels and a decent diet.

Or rather don't. All that diet and sqawka nonsense just churns out extremely average footballers with no creativity at all who can run 12k in a game or complete 80% of their passes as per coach's instruction.

I haven't even touched on Stan Bowles, Liam Brady,, Ossie Ardiles....

Other than Messi played in the PL. Anyway what I am saying is that below that crop of players the quality of the other 99.99999999% is so much better today - 1 or 2 players however good they are does not make a league great so its the quality of everyone below them that counts

 

[dejavuatbtn]

Actually yes it is, I was never talking about club football and would take that any day of the week over a handful of international games a year.

Would much rather watch the best football possible week in week out and some of the best players in the world playing in the same league

I would rather get value for money and would much prefer the billions we pay into the premier league to be redirected to grass roots football to encourage kids/people to play sport for health reasons and not to fill the pockets of all those people on the gravy train. Football will still find a high level, and perhaps make our players a bit more hungry for results instead of lining their pockets.

 

[Shuggie]

Other than Messi played in the PL. Anyway what I am saying is that below that crop of players the quality of the other 99.99999999% is so much better today - 1 or 2 players however good they are does not make a league great so its the quality of everyone below them that counts

You're just an idiot.

 

[Murray 17]

There should be a national boycott of Sky Sports. That would at least stem the flow of money. I know that the PL is sold abroad, but the subscription charges there are nowhere near as extortionate.

 

[ewe2]

I for one have given up Sky.I wonder how many on NSC have either given up,or have joined.The only way football will implode is the lack of TV revenues,and to a lesser extent aggressive ticket pricing.

 

[fosters headband]

I for one have given up Sky.I wonder how many on NSC have either given up,or have joined.The only way football will implode is the lack of TV revenues,and to a lesser extent aggressive ticket pricing.

I have had Sky sports since it started but canceled it this season. The money players and clubs are now getting in the Premier League is just insane and look forward to the day the bubble bursts.

 

[Hampster Gull]

There should be a national boycott of Sky Sports. That would at least stem the flow of money. I know that the PL is sold abroad, but the subscription charges there are nowhere near as extortionate.

I agree. We have solos on here doung the right thing but there is always someone joining behind. We need a mass movement

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

I want to be able to sit in my ARMCHAIR, pay a few pounds, and tune into every Brighton away game on my laptop.

Until someone delivers that service I'm not really interested.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Other than Messi played in the PL. Anyway what I am saying is that below that crop of players the quality of the other 99.99999999% is so much better today - 1 or 2 players however good they are does not make a league great so its the quality of everyone below them that counts

Jesus. Really?

Back in the day top pros played 40 odd games a season through challenges that would be a straight red today. Then they went off and ate steak and drank lager and lime with their Debbie or Sharon. They were nicely paid but not in today's league. Yet British teams constantly won European Cups when it was a proper champions cup.

Yet in not so distant memory the likes of Roger Johnson and Karl Henry have "lit up" the top division, Or, maybe closer to home, Danny Graham and Andrea Dossena. Have you seen Martins Indi this season? Stealing a living.

 

[jonsey]

Agree with that.
The PL was formed to strengthen the position of the elite few. The two main drivers of the idea, were two smart guys, Irving Scholar and David Dein. They wanted to protect the interests of their respective clubs. The PL is divisive. It doesn't unite football, it divides it. The gap between the top division and the rest gets ever wider. We now have a national game dominated by overseas players and managers, to the detriment of home-grown talent and the national side.
It has created worldwide interest and made players wealthy beyond their wildest dreams but the sad fact is that the overall quality has never been lower. It has to be continually hyped up because the product is ever

Agree with both points, i know that things change and move on but, the 90 minutes itself is a distant second to the money that runs the game

 

[cheshunt seagull]

I want to be able to sit in my ARMCHAIR, pay a few pounds, and tune into every Brighton away game on my laptop.

Until someone delivers that service I'm not really interested.

The football product that supporters might actually want; a season ticket with inclusive online away games and pay-as-you-view online options for anyone. Instead I am paying to watch such delights as Burnley v Watford

 

[RexCathedra]

A continental market with ca 24-30 big teams, who are protected from relegation. -- like the NBA, NFL, etc.

I would expect 5- 6 English teams in a pan-European superleague, and as for the rest -- one giant Conference. All semi-pro. Or acting as explicit player-development farms for the big fish, with perpetual merry-go-rounds of personnel called up, and sent down, as the big clubs' needs change. (American baseball minor leaguers, even ones owned by the Yankees and Red Sox, and playing AA ball, or even AAA, often don't even make the minimum wage.)

The build-a-treehouse-and-pull-up-the-ladder model is now proven, and just needs to be expanded.

 

[Murray 17]

I want to be able to sit in my ARMCHAIR, pay a few pounds, and tune into every Brighton away game on my laptop.

Until someone delivers that service I'm not really interested.

Have you tried NOW TV? £6.99 per game.

 

[Hampster Gull]

A continental market with ca 24-30 big teams, who are protected from relegation. -- like the NBA, NFL, etc.

I would expect 5- 6 English teams in a pan-European superleague, and as for the rest -- one giant Conference. All semi-pro. Or acting as explicit player-development farms for the big fish, with perpetual merry-go-rounds of personnel called up, and sent down, as the big clubs' needs change. (American baseball minor leaguers, even ones owned by the Yankees and Red Sox, and playing AA ball, or even AAA, often don't even make the minimum wage.)

The build-a-treehouse-and-pull-up-the-ladder model is now proven, and just needs to be expanded.

I'm out when that happens

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

Have you tried NOW TV? £6.99 per game.

Yes, but they don't do all Brighton away games as far as I am aware.

 

[kingcole]

Have you tried NOW TV? £6.99 per game.

Per day - time it well and get 3 games for that

 

[Murray 17]

Per day - time it well and get 3 games for that

Yes. No reason to pay, whatever it is (£40+ a month?) anymore.

 

[Murray 17]

Yes, but they don't do all Brighton away games as far as I am aware.

Do you mean ALL away games, or just televised away games?

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

Do you mean ALL away games, or just televised away games?

All 23. It's a shame that the technology can do it, but the will isn't there.