Super Clubs

[Vanilla]

Re: the below statement by the Villa manager, negative thinking or just plain realism of Premier League football today, and what Villa's realistic ambitions should be?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/14844717.stm

[ADVILLAFAN]

Realistic really

[pauliewalnuts]

It's just the way it is, unfortunately.

It's all very well for UEFA to blather on about the financial inequalities in the game and to talk about this financial fair play nonsense, but if there is one thing other than mental sheiks and oligarchs which has created this inequality over the years, it is the UEFA Champions League.

[Meanwood Villa]

True statement and said I'm sure to try and lower expectations to a more realistic level. I do wonder how it makes the current squad feel to know their recently departed team mates are at super clubs while they're not.

[Mr Diggles]

It's even worse in La Liga where there is only really 2 teams, and its all due to money.

Villa, in the majority I would say, is a second rate club.

[Vanilla]

Realistic really

Sad though isn't it. For me, supporting Villa (or whichever team anyone supports) was always about potential, even if the hear and now is poop.This is like; 'We had a bad start to the season, but the second half shows good signs of improving', or 'we had a decent finish to the season, and with a couple of signings and we should get better next season', or 'we finished 6th this season, but will hopefully finish higher and get into Europe next season' etc etc.

Now it just feels, this is your lot, get used to it, or as the manager put it: we should in the top 10.   

[UK Redsox]

It's just the way it is, unfortunately.

It's all very well for UEFA to blather on about the financial inequalities in the game and to talk about this financial fair play nonsense, but if there is one thing other than mental sheiks and oligarchs which has created this inequality over the years, it is the UEFA Champions League.

Unless football goes the NFL route of franchises, salary caps etc, this is the way that it's gonna be

[Pete3206]

The excuses for Darren Bent's January departure have started earlier than expected.

[Vanilla]

True statement and said I'm sure to try and lower expectations to a more realistic level. I do wonder how it makes the current squad feel to know their recently departed team mates are at super clubs while they're not.

Would you think that could encourage complacency in players if they can just think, well no use playing out my skin week-in, week-out as not much is expected from us?

[willywombat]

The excuses for Darren Bent's January departure have started earlier than expected.

That's utter bullshit. Get real and see the big picture, we like a lot of other clubs, cannot compete with the financial clout of criminal Russian oligarchs or oil states. We are where we are and no amount of sniping is going to change that. All we can do is carry on supporting our club and not keep comparing ourselves to the mega-rich as we aint going to catch up

[PeterWithe]

And in other news, the Pope is reported to be a Catholic.

[CJ]

Sad reality of modern day top flight football I'm afraid, and the rich clubs will just find a way to buy round the financial fair play rules and perpetuate the status quo. So many of us are falling out of love with the game at this level and I think the only way it will change is if a European 'Super League' is set up in place of the Champions League so the rest of us can compete for the league on a more level playing field. Other than that we can just accept our place and put up with it, or - as my son now does and I'm getting more tempted to do - go to lower or non-league games and just go to the Villa now and again.

[NeilH]

It's just the way it is, unfortunately.

It's all very well for UEFA to blather on about the financial inequalities in the game and to talk about this financial fair play nonsense, but if there is one thing other than mental sheiks and oligarchs which has created this inequality over the years, it is the UEFA Champions League.

Unless football goes the NFL route of franchises, salary caps etc, this is the way that it's gonna be

There’s more chance of Gadaffi strolling into the British Embassy in Tripoli wearing a summer bonnet and dress than that happening.

The UEFA bigwigs keep asking why attendances are continuing to fall across many European clubs and yet the answer lies in the very system that they helped build. The product that they so frequently refer to is now simply not competitive and it is becoming more uncompetitive as the years go by.

What is even more depressing, is that unless the oligarchs suddenly take their money elsewhere the Premiership will continue to become less and less attractive as these super clubs scoop up every player of worth and beat the rest of the teams making up the numbers convincingly week upon week upon week. We’ll essentially become the Scottish Premiership.

[Monty]

European leagues are, by and large, falling into two categories: those dominated by anti-competitive wealth for the few against the many, and those where the financial regulation of the league ensures competition. Into the latter category go France and Germany, of the major leagues - everyone else is in the former.

[Nev]

We know it's true, so do the players, I just don't like hearing the manager say it.

You approach it in two ways. Be positive without being unrealistic or be negative and like any manager in any business your staff end up being de-motivated and will consider other options.

It's this sort of attitude, coupled with the style and approach to the first few games that confirm my, and many others, reservations about having this guy in charge.