A week or so ago I was talking about the finances in the Premier League. More specifically, the inequities between the teams. Which, by the way, is very real. Can you imagine—billionaire owners who are considered paupers.
I have thought a little more about the League and more specifically the way it operates. It is set up to fail with time. The precursor to this thought is Charles Green. Last week he talked about a super league. The Champions League in actuality. He went on to say that no one wants to watch Manchester (take your pick) play Reading, but instead wants to watch them to play Barcelona, for example. He has a point I suppose, but the underlying motive is more money for, well, not the clubs.
We already went through this type of thinking with the Premier League being formed and it hasn’t taken that long in the big scheme of things for the Premier environment to become an acrimonious nest of haves and have nots.
The league has at present six teams that are head and shoulders above the remaining 14. Some due to being astute in their dealings but most because of unlimited money. The cause of this is the spectre of relegation, being elevated to the Champions League, and to some degree the Europa League. Also the ego of some owners. It’s like a big family—when the big plate of meat finally gets around to little Timmy all that’s left is bone and gristle.
They play the lower 14 like it’s a pub league and to everyone’s surprise lose once in awhile. The lower 14 need a leg up not just on the pitch but also in the boardrooms where there are more than scraps to grab at.
QPR, for instance, have spent a lot on older players with no upside. Their only reason is to escape relegation, nothing else. Like Mcleish playing not to lose. Chelsea on the other hand buy bunches of players all at their peak powers or with huge potential—because they can. They are nothing but expensive chattel.
Now take Villa. They went down that road three years ago and in short order their expensive buys are ready for the big needle a la Mittens. Still paying for it. Everton has taken 10 years to achieve respectability with astute purchases and the willingness to nurture young players and let’s be honest, they are only an injury or two away from a bad run of games. Lets face it—United lost Rooney for three weeks and they didn’t bat an eye. In fact some thought his time was up at MU.
Most teams just don’t have the wherewithal to put it all together and improve beyond their current standing: Wigan, for example. Let’s not forget Portsmouth, Leeds, Sheffield, and to some extent Liverpool, who tried to run with the big boys spending wise.
The lower 14 are a bit of a misnomer in the Premier League. IMO they would be in tough in the Championship. Their membership in the Premier League is by proxy, because only 3 teams get relegated. I can just see Ferguson pushing his food around his plate worrying about this. Really, in the Premier League by default. And sorry to say, Villa is in this group.
So don’t blame Villa for their approach to the game as we speak—it is the only way forward. We can’t look at the top six and demand marquee players or a total refit of the team. Any offers a lower 14 puts on the table can be met with an offer from a top six if they think it is a threat to their standing in the league. They stand in the way of improvement of the league.
So, maybe old Charles Green is right—but for different reasons than he stated. Get rid of the pigs at the trough and let the Premier League return to a competitive league where the finances are on a more level footing and relegation is a contest amongst most of the 20 teams in play. Not just a re-jigging of the teams at the bottom with no up-side.
Now, AVL are a pretty astute bunch of guys and gals. What would you propose to fix the way the Premier League is run? Wage cap? British content? Transfers year round? Squad size? It would be interesting to see how we think as I don’t think Villa’s woes are entirely their fault but the way the league is set up.
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