Man City are ‘buying the league’. The lack of any level playing field in top level football.

[CosbehFox]

10 minutes ago, BenTheFox said:

Personally I'm a big fan of the German ownership model, the 50+1 rule. Meaning that paying members have a majority say in a club's direction. It results in fair ticket pricing, good match day experience, promotion of youth players and that most of the clubs' traditions remain intact. However, I guess the downside is that while it remains in place none of the other clubs can even come close to challenging Bayern for the title. I know I've gone off topic a bit but I'd love to know how thins would pan out in England if such an ownership was in place. 

The German ownership has the other side too though. The fans over there are getting pissed off how every possible facet of a football team is now sponsored and in a bid to gain more TV money increasingly giving in to Monday night games 

[CosbehFox]

Just to add Liverpool on paper look like a more than capable challenger to Man City this season and some of that is achieved without a government backing them. 

[Koke]

There isn't a lot of love for Tottenham on here, and understandably so, but I have infinite more admiration and respect for them than Man City. 

[Guest MattP]

16 hours ago, Cardiff_Fox said:

The German ownership has the other side too though. The fans over there are getting pissed off how every possible facet of a football team is now sponsored and in a bid to gain more TV money increasingly giving in to Monday night games 

Not to mention they also now have a league that isn't remotely interesting or competitive because even that system has huge flaws when you have a club the size of Bayern compared to the rest.

Edited 22 August 2018 by MattP

[fuchsntf]

On 20/08/2018 at 20:24, Col city fan said:

Guardiola is clearly a superb football manager. He has round pegs in round holes at Man City and has done so wherever he has been manager.

However...... Man City could realistically field TWO first 11’s, both of which could realistically get into the top three or four in the Premiership.

Is tonking the opposition 5 or 6-1 really good for the Premiership? Or for football in general?

Surely the fact that Man City have spent a billion quid (or so it seems) in their quest for football stardom has created a massively uneven playing field?

Yet nobody seems bothered. The adulation and adoration for Guardiola is present it would seem whilst the money the club have spent goes unnoticed?

Have Man City bought the league? What’s happened to financial fair play? 

Discuss..

If this carried on for 4 seasons plus,then I would start worrying,but I still see clubs like Chelsea,L'pool, and a couple of others,

Unsettle Mcitys Apple cart.

  Uptil now they haven't yet ripped the PL appart,and could still struggle in the latter part of the CL.

especially now Bruyner,has a knock...

You  are right about them fielding a quality 2nd team,hence the nonsense posts and decrying Puel last season that we should of beat them in the cup.

 

Though the thought is scary,if Mcity really carry on developing even more,then the PL would have a problem,I still though see it as a cycle,

Mancity,will have a great PeP era,then eventually lose their power....

plus Will they have the money in January as next summer??? How much finances will be pushed in,if they still don't grab their chance in the CL.

 

Chelsea,didn't steal through all competitions,and I doubt Mcity will either....It's the canny nature of the beast of the PL.

Not forgetting Pep,himself might pull out earlier than expected...Winning 2 titles after each other,is nothing special,will

Pep,stay long enough to break records...

 

 

 

[BenTheFox]

On 22/08/2018 at 09:35, Koke said:

There isn't a lot of love for Tottenham on here, and understandably so, but I have infinite more admiration and respect for them than Man City. 

Putting everything aside, Tottenham have been in the top four the last few seasons and haven't been spending anywhere the numbers of the other clubs and in that time have had to play games away from their home ground. They play a nice brand of football and also field a good number of English players. I certainly don't like them, but there's certainly something to admire. 

[HighPeakFox]

Yes, it reflects on how society is increasingly dominated by wealth over any morality or legality, for me.

[Stadt]

Its not Man City's fault Huddersfield are shit. They've spent a lot of money, yeah, so have United. Guardiola has improved players massively in Sane, Sterling, De Bruyne, Stones, and others. They bought players in problem positions in Mendy, Danilo and Walker who were ridiculously expensive for fullbacks but it's not like they can buy players for a few million because premier league teams have to pay through their teeth. Bravo was clearly a shot signing so they bought Ederson for £35m which looks a bargain now considering what Kepa and Allison went for so its not their spending is out of this world.

All or nothing is worth a watch, what I've found most interesting is the autonomy Ferran Sorriano and Txiki Begiristain have, they're so well run off the pitch which is why they were able to bring in Pep in the first place. We aren't a circus like we were but this one aspect we let ourselves down in, I think the criticism Rudkin gets on here is over the top as we don't actually know what he does, rightly or wrongly, but he's a former youth coach - what are his credentials as a director of football? 

[davieG]

Ever since I've been watching there's never been an even playing field. Sure it may have been slightly easier to compete but bigger clubs have always found ways and means prior to the Maximum wage (£20) and the freedom of contract to attract the better players to their clubs. Freedom of contract has given players enormous power to pick and choose clubs and they'll go for what they perceive as the best

Big clubs in large and world renowned conurbations like London, Manchester and Liverpool with their modern football histories and along with their lifestyle opportunities, travel links, fame and European football will always attract the best players especially the foreign ones who will have a very narrow perspective of English football all this irrespective of money and that's despite many other PL clubs offering life changing wages and financial addons.

Success breeds success in attracting the best.