Poll
Question:
Score the season 1-5
Option 1: 1
votes: 11
Option 2: 2
votes: 7
Option 3: 3
votes: 12
Option 4: 4
votes: 6
Option 5: 5
votes: 9
well now that its over for another year how would people rate the season? does the fact that we could all name 4 of the top 6 and 4 of the bottom 6 in next seasons table mean its crap. in the US the NFL have a very successful salary cap system in place which makes it more of a level playing field, would that improve the premiership? any other suggestions that might improve it?
Its actually called the Premier League now :P
I think its been a fairly average season to be honest as you say the top 4 are the usual suspects and will be again next but in a different order I'm sure ;)
No real stand out classic games spring to mind,Imho Arsenal have played the classiest football of the season and i think they could win it next year if they keep the bulk of the squad and if Wenger spends a few quid to strengthen his team
Not sure next year will be any better certainly not with the likes of Bristol or Hull City likely to be promoted i can't see them making any difference..
Despite my allegiances with Man Utd, I have to echo what has been said here. We always knew Liverpool would get 4th spot, we all knew Derby County would go down. We all knew Middlesbrough and Spurs and West Ham wouldfinish mid-table. Predictable league yes it is. Maybe there's more quality in the top teams but the rest are getting left behind imo.
Big mover in 2009 will be Aston Villa....
18th when O'Neill took over, 11th in 2006, 6th in 2008 with the smallest squad in the league and no sign of the big Amercian bucks he was promised (but has't complained about - unlike Benitez). What odds they will dsplace Liverpool in the top 4 next season?
That point of interest apart it's been a dull year.
2009 will also see Man City relegated along with Bolton and 2 of the promoted teams.
Quote from: Leo on May 13, 2008, 01:48:19 PM
Big mover in 2009 will be Aston Villa....
18th when O'Neill took over, 11th in 2006, 6th in 2008 with the smallest squad in the league and no sign of the big Amercian bucks he was promised (but has't complained about - unlike Benitez). What odds they will dsplace Liverpool in the top 4 next season?
That point of interest apart it's been a dull year.
2009 will also see Man City relegated along with Bolton and 2 of the promoted teams.
That would make 4 teams, only 3 go down
Leo, unless there is awful turmoil at Liverpool, Villa will only displace Everton for fifth spot. That's my opinion anyway.
Quote from: Farrandeelin on May 13, 2008, 02:35:49 PM
Leo, unless there is awful turmoil at Liverpool, Villa will only displace Everton for fifth spot. That's my opinion anyway.
Its also a fact.
Quote from: magickingdom on May 12, 2008, 06:58:59 PM
well now that its over for another year how would people rate the season? does the fact that we could all name 4 of the top 6 and 4 of the bottom 6 in next seasons table mean its crap. in the US the NFL have a very successful salary cap system in place which makes it more of a level playing field, would that improve the premiership? any other suggestions that might improve it?
It'd have to be implemented world-wide across soccer - it won't work otherwise
Quote from: Gabriel_Hurl on May 13, 2008, 03:11:13 PM
Quote from: magickingdom on May 12, 2008, 06:58:59 PM
well now that its over for another year how would people rate the season? does the fact that we could all name 4 of the top 6 and 4 of the bottom 6 in next seasons table mean its crap. in the US the NFL have a very successful salary cap system in place which makes it more of a level playing field, would that improve the premiership? any other suggestions that might improve it?
It'd have to be implemented world-wide across soccer - it won't work otherwise
It's really boring, I rarely look at it anymore, it's got to the stage where the results will do me - somebody texted me something on sunday as utd won the league and it took a while for me to figure out what they were on about. I've very little interest in watching the champions league final either next week, but I'm looking forward to the euro championships tbh. Despite what Wenger/Ferguson et al may say about the quality of international football, it's more interesting. I think soccer is destroying itself at the moment, and comments like those ferguson made about international football and so show that they've lost sight of what the appeal once was.
Imo, a salary cap of some sort has to be the way forward.
As a matter of interest, how much longer do people think soccer will be popular? I wouldn't give it much more than 100 years - anyone else hazard a guess?
I used to be a complete nut for soccer. I'd watch every game on TV I could get, and be listening to 5Live on the radio for games that weren't on. I think 3 things in particular have happened which have helped turn me off soccer almost completely, although I would still watch the big games, and I like the international tournaments.
1) Crazy money. Players move from club to club now at the drop of a hat. There's very few exceptions that prove the rule, but in general players, agents, owners and managers are all chasing the almighty pound, and it is less of a sport, and more of a business now.
2) TV Saturation. Hand in hand, and probably the cause of, the crazy money in the game is the saturation coverage. Every game has cameras at it, and there's probably at least 6 or 7 live games on a week when the season is in full swing. That just wears you out, and you lose interest.
3) Diving and cheating. This is my biggest pet hate at the moment. Diving, cheating, feigning injury, asking for opponents to be booked (I'd break the fingers of the first lad that did that imaginary card waving shit at me if I was a ref) etc etc. Sickens my stomach to see big, strong, fit young lads rolling around on the ground like a casualty from Dunkirk after the slightest foul, or even fair, challenge.
With the news that west ham are soon to unveil gianfranco zola as their new boss, i have to ask where is the foresight or plain common sense any more. if these clubs would take a simple look at what type of background makes for the the best managers in the premiership then its obvious that these big name ex players rarely succeed.
feguson, wenger, o'neill, moyes, benitez, allardyce... al men who worked their way to the top having gained valuable experience and success in more competitive less glamorous environments.
Apparently there's an Italian 'Director of Football' at West Ham, so the appointment of Zola or Donadoni was pretty much definite. It appears Curbishley didn't get on with him at all, and couldn't wait to get away.
Yeah, curbishly forewent a sizable payoff by resigning, which is unusual in this day and age. that in itself tells you how determined he was to get out.
QuoteYeah, curbishly forewent a sizable payoff by resigning, which is unusual in this day and age.
Too decent a man for that club, and that league too. I'd have loved to see him at Leeds - genuine soccer man.
Quote from: Billys Boots on September 09, 2008, 12:45:19 PM
QuoteYeah, curbishly forewent a sizable payoff by resigning, which is unusual in this day and age.
Too decent a man for that club, and that league too. I'd have loved to see him at Leeds - genuine soccer man.
How would he fit in at Leeds then :P
The game has gone so far the other side of commercialism it is scary. The likes of Zola getting a the West Ham job. Poyet going to get a buddy job with Wisey in Newcastle. The funny thing is that it is not successful teams who go for the "star" manager(ie former player). Outside of the the likes of Red Nose, The Professor, the Fat Controller, Big Phil, the managers I would respect most are Moyes, O'Neill and Hughes. If I were to pick one of them Hughes would be my first choice
I'd go along with that bc. i've great time for what those three have achieved on relative shoe string budgets. the secret to success is on the training field and the day to day coaching and organisation you put into a team. i can see hughes getting replaced by a star name soon, doing another good job at bolton or somewhere and taking over from fergie.
Quote from: Uladh on September 09, 2008, 12:57:18 PM
I'd go along with that bc. i've great time for what those three have achieved on relative shoe string budgets. the secret to success is on the training field and the day to day coaching and organisation you put into a team. i can see hughes getting replaced by a star name soon, doing another good job at bolton or somewhere and taking over from fergie.
To add to your list bc, Bruce does a decent job & Fat Sam, who done a great job at Bolton
I bet hodgson does a more than decent job at fulham too.
QuotePoyet going to get a buddy job with Wisey in Newcastle.
Poyet was the (only) brains in that partnership at Leeds - he'd be mad in the head to leave Spurs.
Quote from: magickingdom on May 12, 2008, 06:58:59 PM
well now that its over for another year how would people rate the season? does the fact that we could all name 4 of the top 6 and 4 of the bottom 6 in next seasons table mean its crap. in the US the NFL have a very successful salary cap system in place which makes it more of a level playing field, would that improve the premiership? any other suggestions that might improve it?
The problem with the NFL is that there no relegation. Whatever is said about the Premiership, at least there is some change. Although Mr Cook from Man City is mooting the possibility of having a 14 team Premiership franchise system. Maybe it will become like the NFL and people will start going back to the roots of soccer.
Sergei Rebrov is at the centre of a possible race row by giving Spurs new boy Roman Pavlyuchenko some controversial advice.
The former Tottenham hitman reportedly warned Pavlyuchenko not to go out near White Hart Lane - because lots of "dark-skinned people" live there.
According to the Daily Mirror, Rebrov's astonishing comments came in an interview in Russian magazine Football Weekly on how £13.8million signing Pavlyuchenko should adapt to British life.
Rebrov - who played for Spurs between 2000 and 2004 - said: "I wouldn't go for a walk on my own around White Hart Lane.
"A lot of dark-skinned people live there. So naturally the crime rate is higher than anywhere else.
"It's not nice to be a robbery victim. So I suggest that Roman doesn't walk but drives around that area."
:o
Quote from: AZOffaly on May 13, 2008, 04:24:43 PM
1) Crazy money. Players move from club to club now at the drop of a hat. There's very few exceptions that prove the rule, but in general players, agents, owners and managers are all chasing the almighty pound, and it is less of a sport, and more of a business now.
When was it ever any different?
QuoteWhen was it ever any different?
Up to the late-70s.
I didn't even enter the fantasy league competition this year. I've lost interest thanks to the antics on Ronaldo, Gallas, Drogba not to mention Bowyer, Barton and Ferdinand.
Grossly overpaid twits. Why should we give our respect and our money to such flawed characters?