English football - over rated?

[Co.Down Hibee]

It's a good league to watch , possibly La Liga is a higher standard and Bundesliga is more entertaining , overall though it is very good.

[nsr]

Scottish football suffers from a vicious circle. The media know that almost nobody cares about the teams outwith the OF, so they don't bother promoting them much. This only reinforces the notion that these teams aren't worth caring about, and so it goes on.

[Raidernation]

I only watch the epl games on Saturday and Sunday mornings because I'm already up at that time (usually 6:30am ko); It's a decent way to pass the time; I like watching football; the alternative would be to watch the eye-bleedingly poor MLS c/w "sacker" commentary.

A lot of the games are good, some are excellent, some of the passages of play can be a thing of beauty, but there's also a lot of dross and some pretty shite games.

[itzdrk]

i know your taking the piss, but i'll take any reason to post this

look at the nick of Butcher

[Bishop Briggs]

The cheapest season ticket in the EPL is offered by Man City - only £299. That's a great deal to see the likes of Aguero, Company, Toure and Silva in a top stadium.

[Diamonds are Forever]

The media always get blamed for hyping it up, but the only people to blame for the coverage the Premier League gets are the public. We are the ones who have continually bought Sky packages to watch it meaning there is now so much money involved in it. So long as people continue to buy it - both in the literal sense, and the 'believing the hype' sense - it'll continue to grow in profile.

I still pay to get the football package on TV because at the moment I feel it's worth it for the entertainment we get. So in that sense I guess I don't feel it's overated - in terms of the entertainment value at least - because if I did I wouldn't pay it. It's getting very close to not being worth it anymore though, and I doubt whether next year I'll subscribe again as this season has been pretty dull and I'm watching less and less matches.

[Uncle Psychosis]

In terms of the quality of the football it's probably overrated but there's no denying just how popular the entire "product" is, including the endless off the field narrative that the media perpetuate and that ordinary people seem to lap up.

What's telling is that the detractors of English football on sites like this will say things like "I watched villa against Everton and it was crap" - what they don't seem to realise is that the important words in that sentence are "I watched", not "it was crap".

Personally speaking I'm losing interest in English football and only rarely watch it (I don't have sky or BT sport) but there's no denying the worldwide popularity, rightly or wrongly.

[7-2]

Scottish football suffers from a vicious circle. The media know that almost nobody cares about the teams outwith the OF, so they don't bother promoting them much. This only reinforces the notion that these teams aren't worth caring about, and so it goes on.

Which part of the media do you work for?

[FuzzyAffro]

Of course its overrated, wildly so.

It is almost certainly in the contract of all pundits and presenters to never say anything negative about the league as it's Sky's flagship product.

You don't get bakers going 'buy these rolls they're fairly shite but buy them anyway'.

La Liga is my favourite league by far.

[Jambomo]

We got rid of Sky about 2 seasons ago and I must say that we don't really miss it.

The English game is obviously a decent standard and if it could get away from the commentators need to be selling it all the time it would be a lot more enjoyable to watch. I do think that its the media and commentry that often ruin it, talking about a non-incident for anout 10 mins after it happened and using 20 different camera angles, simply because they need drama and can't afford to have a game thats dull; or building up a big games so much that its often in reality only ever going to be a bit of a let down (unless Gerrard stamps on someone).

I find English commentary irritating to watch because the are so over the top with praise for a tap in goal, or a massively overhit free kick which is "inches away" I think I am watching a different match sometimes.and because it is so different to what I am seeing, I find myself either getting annoyed or thinking I am totally missing something and neither of these makes for a particularly happy viewing experience.

I think regarding money that the new Barclays ad with Alan Shearer say's it all, people can't afford to take their kids to games anymore and Barclays are giving some of them tickets. Great thats one family at one match - what about the rest? English football is becoming a TV programme folk watch, not an event to want to be at. Thats the one thing Scottish football has over it, its getting expensive but not as bad and its not totally unaffordable for normal people, you can go along and support the team if you want and often the games are enjoyable and worth it.

[Sergeant Wilson]

Football is ridiculously expensive. I want to take my 3 year old to a football game at some point and going to see Newcastle doesn't seem very practical so I checked out the ticket prices for Gateshead FC. 15 quid for an adult in the Conference.

Go to any of the Northern League grounds. Decent facilities in all the ones I've been at and good standard of game for a fiver.

[Audaces Fortuna Juvat]

My wee girl is now showing an interest in going to football but it'll be up the road to Newlandsfield for us, no way I'll be taking her to a senior game a those prices.

I will probably have to fork out for some ear plugs to protect her innocence though!

Reminds me of a Coleraine supporting poster on the Northern Ireland site who took his innocent young lassie to a Coleraine v Crusaders game at Crusaders about 10/12 years ago. It was a fairly crappy game but, midway through the second half, the game got a bit towsy, with fans from both sides sharing their opinions loudly.

A few minutes later the wee one asked "Daddy, can I shout something?"

Thinking she meant "Come on Coleraine" he said "Aye, on you go".

She yelled at the top of her voice "For f*ck sake ref".

[TheLip69]

Scottish football suffers from a vicious circle. The media know that almost nobody cares about the teams outwith the OF, so they don't bother promoting them much. This only reinforces the notion that these teams aren't worth caring about, and so it goes on.

Not strictly true, when I had my first pub in South Manchester I took a bit of stick for being a Scottish football fan. The usual white but when they found out I wasn't a fan of either of the bigot brothers they took an interest. We had a lorry driver from Scotland who made deliveries once a week and he was a Stenhousemuir fan. The interest was there but the information wasn't. Most English fans know more about the other European Leagues than they do about north of the border.There is very little press coverage down here, in fact the only publication that has consistently reported on the Rangers saga is Private Eye. From my experience the fans I know in England are as browned off with the OF as we are.

[Audaces Fortuna Juvat]

Take away the top 5/6 in England and there can be no doubt it is vastly over rated.

Include them and it's not a lot better. Not one team in the quarter finals of either European tournament despite their massive financial advantage, and you have to wonder why, despite all the Sky money, they are so far behind?

[RandomGuy.]

Take away the top 5/6 in England and there can be no doubt it is vastly over rated.

Include them and it's not a lot better. Not one team in the quarter finals of either European tournament despite their massive financial advantage, and you have to wonder why, despite all the Sky money, they are so far behind?

They are just having a bad year, you feel, with a pretty unlucky draw in some regards.

It is odd though, that despite the massive fan bases and massive incomes that the "Big Four" in England have, they still look pretty small fry compared the absolute power houses of Bayern, Barca and Real.

[Audaces Fortuna Juvat]

Can't agree chum, although I see where you're coming from. When did the English clubs last have a "good year".

I am not anti-English at all, (well, maybe Man U), but I seriosly believe that, with the huge financial advantage that they have, they should be dominating the bigger competitions. I'd accept that they don't take the Europa League particularly seriously, especially if they are chasing a top four place and the extra money a CL place brings, but they have to be punching well below their weight given recent years' performances and their financial advantages?

[Jambomo]

Take away the top 5/6 in England and there can be no doubt it is vastly over rated.

Include them and it's not a lot better. Not one team in the quarter finals of either European tournament despite their massive financial advantage, and you have to wonder why, despite all the Sky money, they are so far behind?

I think the Sky money makes it look better than it is.

They think that because the game is so rich that it must make it amazingly good because it costs so much. It's really the good sales ability and buying in a large number of big name players that make people believe that it should be great and exciting rather than it actually always being so.

There's actually a huge amount of financial waste - clubs like Man City and Chelsea have huge squads and millions of pounds worth of talent nowhere near the first team and that might never even play for them. You also get silly money being paid for decidedly mediocre players.

[Audaces Fortuna Juvat]

Gooid post.

[Rab B Nesbit]

£50 (subsidised by £2 so £48) for Liverpool fans at Hull midweek ... http://www.spiritofshankly.com/news/hull-city-away-supporter-protest

[forameus]

I think the Sky money makes it look better than it is.

They think that because the game is so rich that it must make it amazingly good because it costs so much. It's really the good sales ability and buying in a large number of big name players that make people believe that it should be great and exciting rather than it actually always being so.

There's actually a huge amount of financial waste - clubs like Man City and Chelsea have huge squads and millions of pounds worth of talent nowhere near the first team and that might never even play for them. You also get silly money being paid for decidedly mediocre players.

Good post. They do get a lot of money, but they could certainly be spending it more efficiently, in the case of City and Chelsea. Arsenal are very careful with their money, but probably too careful, especially when you add in the fact that they either balls up the group stage and draw a top team before heroically existing the tournament, or balls up a knockout tie that they really should win.

Can't agree chum, although I see where you're coming from. When did the English clubs last have a "good year".

I am not anti-English at all, (well, maybe Man U), but I seriosly believe that, with the huge financial advantage that they have, they should be dominating the bigger competitions. I'd accept that they don't take the Europa League particularly seriously, especially if they are chasing a top four place and the extra money a CL place brings, but they have to be punching well below their weight given recent years' performances and their financial advantages?

The last "good year" was probably when Chelsea won it, 2011-12. Although that's arguable, as the other English sides had a bit of a nightmare - both Manchester clubs into the Europa League, and Arsenal with their customary horror show in the round of 16. Year before that was less arguable - all four sides into the knockout stages, one in the final, two in the quarters and, once again, Arsenal in the round of 16.

After that though, it's not been great, but think it's important to look at the results in isolation. Forget City, they've been rank pretty much every time they've been in the tournament, which is ridiculous given the money they've spent.

2012/13

Man Utd put out by Real Madrid after winning their group. Pretty unlucky to get Madrid thanks to Dortmund's fantastic group stage, and probably pretty unlucky not to go through anyway in a tight game. Arsenal only went out on away goals to eventual winners Bayern. Chelsea were absolutely rotten, into the Europa League, but they did win it, which is still "good".

2013/14

Could be argued to be a good but not great year for English sides. All into the knockout stages. Man City pumped by Barcelona, Arsenal once again fall foul of Bayern. United then also get put out by Bayern. Chelsea beaten in the semis.

There's a theme going through all those exits though - most of them are from sides who are hardly paupers in comparison. Bayern are a terrifically well run club, and extremely well off. Real and Barcelona aren't exactly poor, and hold the rest of the Spanish clubs to ransom. They've definitely had some bad results over the past few years, and they're on a dip in Europe for sure, but they've hardly been crisis results. There should be a couple of sides from England in the competition at the quarter final stage IMO, but should they always be expected to reach the semi finals? Are any of them really better at the moment than Barcelona/Real Madrid/Bayern? Should they be?