The English Football Thread

[Trollheart]

All right, Monkey, let's get to it: buying the Prem title. Let's go.

[Cuthbert]

Originally Posted by Trollheart

All right, Monkey, let's get to it: buying the Prem title. Let's go.

Well of course clubs generally spend large amounts of money to win the league. My issue with MC, Chelsea and the like is that they essentially won the lottery and then bought the trophy. Chelsea's owner is particularly dodgy and they were very close to going bust before he came in.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpDfN2cH3fE

The reason I don't have an issue with MU spending large amounts is because they built their wealth through whoring their brand out, same as most other clubs in England. It's their own money that they earned through sponsorship, commercial deals and whatever, as the PL became more popular. It's not the same as what MC have done.

In fact if anything, MU were actually being held back during 05-12 after the Glazer takeover.

[Cuthbert]

& MC aren't bigger than MU, unless you also think Hibs are bigger than Rangers, Napoli bigger than AC Milan etc.

[Trollheart]

Take your points, and I accept you know a lot more about footy than I do. My point in saying City are bigger was purely that now, when people talk of Manchester, they're looking at City not United as being the title winners. The statistics may not back them up as being the biggest in terms of stadium, revenue etc, but they're the new kings of the Prem. I'm not sure what you mean about MU though; I think they were one of the first to break transfer price barriers and sign up players in the tens of millions, though I can't be sure about that. It just always seemed that, in the 90s and early 21st century, any big-name, big-price player was being bought by them. They do however have some very good home-grown players and a good academy ethic. City don't seem to go for this.

I'm glad you brought up Chelsea, because if anyone bought the title first it was them. The thing is, clubs will always buy the best (and therefore most expensive) players in order to win trophies, and that's nothing new. It's just that so many clubs are getting taken over now by multi-millionaires outside of Britain that it's hard, indeed impossible, to maintain the old ethic of having English players coming up through the ranks. You can see this shift in even the advertising at the stadiums during matches. Ads in Chinese/Malay/Taiwanese etc? Wouldn't have happened in the eighties, mate!

But it's hard to keep teams going with just English players, which I know is not what you're saying, but the foreign players being brought/bought in are doing wonders for the game. Look at the likes of Aguero, de Bruyne, Mahrez. It would be hard to imagine a team like Chelsea, United or City winning the title without big financial backing and muscle behind them. Sure, it's a case of buying the title, but I remember when City were looked down and sneered at by United (and other) fans, and I say fair play to them that they've risen to the top. The players may be bought for huge sums (surely we'll breach the 200 million mark this year?) but you can't deny they've injected a flair and skill and excitement into the game that just wasn't there a few decades ago. It's just how things are now, and I personally have no problem with City winning. Money aside, you have to have players with the ability and the attitude to want to win, and City have that in spades. Also, if the players were just playing for a paycheque and had no interest in the game or the club, that would be another thing totally, but you can see they're really dedicated and want to win, not just for themselves, but for the club.

ABU, mate. ABU.

[Cuthbert]

think they were one of the first to break transfer price barriers and sign up players in the tens of millions, though I can't be sure about that. It just always seemed that, in the 90s and early 21st century, any big-name, big-price player was being bought by them.

They did. But it was self generated income put back into the team, I have no issue with that.

Sure, it's a case of buying the title, but I remember when City were looked down and sneered at by United (and other) fans, and I say fair play to them that they've risen to the top.

I'll go as far as saying for the pre Abu Dhabi MC fan, I'm kind of happy for them that they have enjoyed some success after such a long time of seeing their neighbours dominate. But I can't say 'fair play' to the club because I don't like how they've done it. Imagine you play Football Manager and mess with the in game stats and inject £5bn of cash into the club to buy who you want simply so you can win the game. That's actually what they did but in real life.

Though at least MC have always tried to play attacking football so there is that, I can respect that bit. This current side will be looked at favourably by neutrals in the same way Arsenal's '04 side was, or the '99 MU team. A good team to watch for neutrals. Chelsea have never really done that imo except for maybe the year Conte won it, despite having an unlimited amount of cash.

[Cuthbert]

It was a shame Liverpool didn't win it in 13/14 btw they were awesome.

First half vs Arsenal at Anfield, never seen anything like it at the time (then Germany did it vs Brazil in the World Cup).

[Trollheart]

Originally Posted by Man like Monkey

It was a shame Liverpool didn't win it in 13/14 btw they were awesome.

First half vs Arsenal at Anfield, never seen anything like it at the time (then Germany did it vs Germany in the World Cup).

It's terrible how it was literally a slip from Gerrard that led to the whole thing falling apart. They never let him forget that, especially after what he said. No wonder he went out of the country.

[Cuthbert]

Well our run came to an end, been listening to the match on radio (BBC West Midlands) and it hasn't sounded good.

0-0 HT then fell to pieces 2nd half.

You can't win them all. We still have a great chance of automatic promotion.

UTV

[Cuthbert]

Quadruple gone
Treble gone
Domestic double gone

https://streamja.com/E1K


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyzvwBR1FmM

#WillGrigg'sOnFire

[Properte]

Kinda sad that there's nothing to stop ManC any more. Only interesting part is who's gonna get them CL places