BOF Posted July 17, 2013 Moderator Share Posted July 17, 2013 I see what you did there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Rev Posted July 17, 2013 Share Posted July 17, 2013 Forgot to put this link in my initial reply btw: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betteridge's_law_of_headlines 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HalfTimePost Posted July 17, 2013 Share Posted July 17, 2013 Because the Premier League isn't all that good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Papillon Posted July 17, 2013 Share Posted July 17, 2013 Well, the best players in the world do not come from England/UK. Sure there is a few insanely good players over the years, but they stayed in England for most of their careers like the players you mention above like Götze in Germany. Ryan Giggs and all the other Man U-players except Beckham (who after all is David Beckham), Frank Lampard, John Terry, Steven Gerrard, Alan Shearer etc etc. The PL has been overflowed with great talent over the years with players like Cesc Fabregas, Cristiano Ronaldo, Thierry Henry, Eric Cantona and so on. The main reason is that every player wants to go home eventually, either country of birth, club or climate. And climate is important, the weather in England sucks and the climate in Spain is awesome. Then there is the money, people get tons of money elsewhere now as well, so Man City/Chelsea are not the only options. Three years ago Cavani and Falcao would have joined Man City easily, but decided to play in the crap French league instead. Sure there is salary involved, but most importantly the enormous sums the clubs had to pay for these players. No-one can match 50M for a 27 year old striker like Falcao, who of course would much more like to play for Man U or Real Madrid. What is **** annoying is Arab oil-money coming in and using this as a plaything. People with absolutely no bond or affiliation with either football or our European customs. NOTHING happens in those countries, so they come here and spill their cash on our cultural treasures. Football is a game for you guys who go to the games, and me who watches it on TV from another country, that hope that comes along every Saturday etc. What this basically means is that our club can never win the league except for the miracle of us being purchased by a similar guy from Dubai or UAE. Do I want that? Hell no. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurtsimonw Posted July 18, 2013 Share Posted July 18, 2013 The Rev, not really, just using some examples... In the last few yrs which top stars have moved to the prem? David Silva, Robinho, Dzeko, Torres and maybe Mata (even though he was still young) have probably been the highest profiles to join in recent yrs, and whilst they are all good players it would be hard pushed to say that any at the time were world class. These players are far bigger and better names than the ones you mentioned in your OP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted July 18, 2013 Moderator Share Posted July 18, 2013 And the likes of Götze & Isco stayed within their own leagues which is a much safer/easier decision to make and is not really comparable to transfers where the lure of a foreign league has snared a player. Even the Alcantara transfer could be argued as Guardiola bringing a protégé with him so it was moving from Barça to Barça's ex-manager. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Rev Posted July 18, 2013 Share Posted July 18, 2013 Also Thiego Alcantara's agent is Pere Guardiola. The more astute of you may have noticed that Pere also happens to be Pep's brother. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted July 18, 2013 Moderator Share Posted July 18, 2013 ... and Suarez's agent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRS-T Posted July 18, 2013 Share Posted July 18, 2013 FIFA World Player of the Year (1991-2009) winners La Liga - 11 Serie A - 10 Premier League - 1 (Cristiano Ronaldo) Ligue 1 - 1 Eredivisie - 1 So since the Premier League began the very best players in the world have been playing in Spain and Italy. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mantis Posted July 18, 2013 Share Posted July 18, 2013 FIFA World Player of the Year (1991-2009) winners La Liga - 11 Serie A - 10 Premier League - 1 (Cristiano Ronaldo) Ligue 1 - 1 Eredivisie - 1 So since the Premier League began the very best players in the world have been playing in Spain and Italy. That stat doesn't really tell us much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Voinjama Posted July 18, 2013 Share Posted July 18, 2013 That stat only tells us about the very best from that year, the 2nd , 3rd and 4th best may of been from the premier league. I seem to remember Henry, Gerrard and Lampard and a few others just missing out. Also as others have said many players come to the premier league and develop into the best in the world, or at least top 5 in their position even though when they first came they may not have been in that top 5 bracket. I'm thinking of players like Thierry Henry, Vieira, Cristiano Ronaldo, Luis Suarez, Dennis Bergkamp, Schmeichel, Drogba. All those players were not top class when they signed but after a few seasons they were. I would argue all the players I have just mentioned were at one point the best in their respective position. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted July 19, 2013 VT Supporter Share Posted July 19, 2013 And aren't 7 of those La Liga winners down to just 2 players? (Ronaldo and Messi) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted July 19, 2013 Share Posted July 19, 2013 not sure. Interestingly all Ronaldo victories came when he transferred club that season Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted July 19, 2013 VT Supporter Share Posted July 19, 2013 Scrap that. Didn't realise it was only up to 2009 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vandaq Posted July 19, 2013 Share Posted July 19, 2013 For every person I have met and spoken to about football, where I have traveled and so forth, Premier League has always been the most coveted and "best" league if you wanna call it that. If I could only choose one league then I would pick this one, no need to think about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted July 19, 2013 Share Posted July 19, 2013 (edited) I would say its the most marketed and therefore best known league in the world. the 39th game option as farcical as it was would not have been mentioned in other leagues though I know Italy play their Charity Shield abroad sometimes Edited July 19, 2013 by Zatman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Rev Posted July 19, 2013 Share Posted July 19, 2013 For every person I have met and spoken to about football, where I have traveled and so forth, Premier League has always been the most coveted and "best" league if you wanna call it that. If I could only choose one league then I would pick this one, no need to think about it. That is cyclical though, I mean when I was growing up in the 1990s Serie A was the "best" league in the world, it's not even in the top tier for Champions League spots these days. The Premier League might be doing well at the moment but it's not infallible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted July 19, 2013 Moderator Share Posted July 19, 2013 And the Spanish league is financially on the brink of collapse. Most of those clubs are in huge debt. It might never happen of course, but if it did then you'd get another seismic shift. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted July 19, 2013 Share Posted July 19, 2013 I would say all of them are financially in a mess even the big 2 which makes it more of a farce. at least UEFA has stopped 2 getting into Europe because of this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted July 19, 2013 Moderator Share Posted July 19, 2013 Only Spain is broke. Germany is in great shape and the Premier League is spending what Sky are giving them so they're fine as long as that continues. If it stops then they'll have to change but I disagree with you saying 'all of them are financially in a mess'. Only Spain is in a mess IMV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts