My point wasn’t to portray them as superstars; my point was that even though these guys played for lower league SPL sides, they still managed a move to a bigger league.
Don’t judge a book by it’s cover if you will.
I agree with everything other than the points you are trying to make about players from the Scottish league coming south of the border and being superstars. For every Charlie Adam, there are ten other highly rated Scots who have come to play in the EPL (or lower) and done sweet FA - the two biggest examples I can currently think of are Scott MacDonald and Kris Boyd who, before joining Boro, used to bang goals in for fun did they not?
If anything, the tendancy is rather the other way round. El Hadj Diouf, fringe player for Blackburn, megastar for Rangers, Joe Ledley - decent player for Cardiff, starting place every week for Celtic.
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I agree with everything other than the points you are trying to make about players from the Scottish league coming south of the border and being superstars. For every Charlie Adam, there are ten other highly rated Scots who have come to play in the EPL (or lower) and done sweet FA - the two biggest examples I can currently think of are Scott MacDonald and Kris Boyd who, before joining Boro, used to bang goals in for fun did they not?
If anything, the tendancy is rather the other way round. El Hadj Diouf, fringe player for Blackburn, megastar for Rangers, Joe Ledley - decent player for Cardiff, starting place every week for Celtic.
Sorry for double post, server said it was too busy and then that happened. Fair enough Kris, like I saidI agree with you on everything else there. Back on topic, early signs of Spanish domination similar to the EPL 3-4 years ago? For the top teams, yes, if I had to do a world order of teams off the top of my head, Barça would be first, Madrid second and United in third.
I do share the opinion though that there is much more quality in depth further down the league in the EPL than there is in La Liga though, and yes I'm well aware of the other good teams like Sevilla, Villareal, Athletico and Valencia.
Who was the guy who said Bolton would be competiting in the top half of the table every season if they were Spanish? Bit of a daft comment given that they're normally in the top half of the table in the EPL anyway!
its not that there is less quality persee, its more that the gap between the top two and rest is so big, imo anyway
Exactly, it's hard to compete when sides like Real and Barca have the squad's they have.
Then again look at Bilbao, signing only local players they sit up the top end of the table.
its not that there is less quality persee, its more that the gap between the top two and rest is so big, imo anyway
Madrid and Barcelona will earn approximately €120m in rights each year until 2013. Last season's third-placed side, Sevilla earn around €20m; Valencia, currently third, make under €30m.
^taken from this article Domination by Barcelona and Real Madrid making Spain the new Scotland | Sid Lowe | Football | The Observer
I agree that there is a considerable gap between the big 2 and the rest, but imo it would be the same if barcelona or real madrid were to enter the premership. It ofcourse would not be 20+ points but they would still stroll the league due the the huge amout of quality inn ever position than english teams cant match.
Yes the big two get more money from TV rights and i believe this to be very fair infact... ok not quite to the extent of it's current state but if you look at it logically you wouldn't ask United to share its merchandising with stoke
The only fair way is the team Real play on the day get a portion of the Broadcasting of that match, this should apply to every game... so say for example Sky,Supersport,Fox ect by rights to those particular games both teams split the money equally... now obviously madrid and barce will get more as they garner more camera attention, but the others also get a fair cut
based on what? Since their last victory back in 2003, Real Madrid have faced English opposition on 7 occasions in that time period and have a solitary win (2 now after this game). They also have 4 defeats from those 6 matches.
Valencia haven't won any matches against English opposition in the past 5 seasons (losing the three home matches they've played). Villarreal, too, have a measly 1 goal to show in their last 8 encounters against English opposition.
It's left to Barcelona then but their record isn't as formidable as you might think. In the past five seasons they have 3 victories, 5 draws and 4 defeats against English opposition.
So its not as clear as you think
But what line seperates the two? Surely both are earned by your footballing abilitymerchandising isnt the same as TV rights, which are shared here anyway
You as a avid football fan should very well know that the Physicallity of English teams in recent years stands them in very good stead over a two legged tie... over a course of a season it is very different indeed..It would be very interesting if Madrid had to join the EPL because the english sides aren't always tested when it comes to precise quick wing play which is very prominent in La Liga, Whereas your big strong lets say for example Shawcross or Hangeland would thrive pushing strickers out way how would they deal with the constant movement of the front 3 of most spainish sides...ofcourse the same would apply to Liga teams how would they fare aginst a strong direct approach which ofted brutefully goes through the middle?
Interesting questions ,ones we will never answer
But what line seperates the two? Surely both are earned by your footballing ability
Ok Mike I shall not get into another shouting match and of course teams play differently bit one generilises in order not to make my post to long...
I stick to my opinion and you will no doubt stick to yours... i was merely saying that on the hole the wing play is of a completely different nature... non superior than the other but ON AVERAGE English teams are not as wing orientated as Spainish or Portuguess
Because you can't force people to buy your merchandise. People will watch football for entertainment though rather than a material possession. Look how many people watch the World Cup final, they have a neutral audience in the market which merchandising does not.
Now mike I have not attacked you and you suggesting that i'm out right wrong is well highly offensive... I will not argue further,as it seems it impossiable for you to see that our opinions are different, and maybe your term of wing oriented is different to mine... you jump on your high horse as soon as I make a commentthats just plain wrong for a start, english football has long been dominated by wingers, you can say its your opinion but its wrong, since is a historical fact. the "classic english" 4-4-2 totally relies on wingers for one thing