Why Spurs, Villa, City, Everton and Newcastle can’t play in the Champions League
After his side’s defeat to Chelsea in May, Newcastle manager Kevin Keegan complained about the state of affairs in the Premier League:
“This league is in danger of becoming one of the most boring but great leagues in the world. The top four next year will be the same top four as this year.”
Recent history tells us that the Newcastle manager is talking sense. Everton’s fourth place finish in 2005 was a major upset; it was also the only occasion in the past five years that a team other than the usual big four clinched a Champions League spot.
Unsurprisingly, the big four refuse to sympathize with the mid-table clubs, or at least that is what Peter Kenyon leads us to believe.
Speaking against Sepp Blatter’s ‘six-plus-five’ rule – which is designed to limit teams to fielding at most five foreigners – the Chelsea executive refused to take the blame for other teams’ failure to challenge for Champions League spots. Instead, Kenyon said that it is up to the other teams to raise their game if they want to displace the big four:
“Other teams in England should be knocking on our door: teams like Tottenham, Newcastle, Villa, Everton. It’s more about them getting their houses in order rather than us coming down to their level.”
Based on recent evidence, Kenyon is also right. Football is now a business; everything is fueled by a somewhat justifiable greed. To expect a top club to give up millions of pounds in favour of a more entertaining league is nearly laughable. Equally laughable seems the prospect of a mid-table team challenging for the Premier League title in the near future.
If the likes of Everton and Newcastle have not established themselves as football powerhouses, it is not because they did not want to; it is also not because of lack of funds.
Most football fans will point to the financial muscle of the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea when asked why Tottenham cannot to secure a third place finish. The truth is that these three teams have spent outrageous amounts of money over the past few years. Arsenal, on the other hand, have always had quite a modest transfer budget and they have won more Premier League titles than Chelsea and Liverpool combined.
The problem does not seem to be money, as Manchester City’s Thaksin Shinawatra has found out this past season. Instead, the main stumbling block in the way of progress for these average Premier League teams is their inability to build a steady squad brimming with quality.
The likes of Aston Villa are constantly being bullied by their players and richer clubs – as demonstrated by the almost embarrassing Gareth Barry transfer saga. At this rate, every time a quality player will pull on a claret shirt, he will attract the interest of a bigger club. From that moment on, Martin O’Neill becomes powerless.
Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United are bigger attractions – for fans and players alike – than any of the other football clubs in England. It is not necessarily the salaries that they are willing to offer; it is the possibility of Champions League football that gives these four clubs a bigger pull in the transfer market.
Thaksin Shinawatra can throw around as much money as he wants in his attempt to take Manchester City to the summit of the Premier League, but he will never have the players to pose a real threat to Chelsea or Manchester United.
These days, players only think about themselves. The club, for them, is a tool, a stage where they can audition for the bigger part and get paid while they are at it. Their ambition is all that matters and the club targets are just something they go along with to keep public opinion favourable.
The players have now become too blind to realize that if they are at well funded and reasonably ambitious club, like Aston Villa or Tottenham, they could achieve great things. Until they learn to have a little patience, Keegan’s words will ring true – the Premier League will be one of the most boring but great leagues in the world.
was going to kick off with the hump, and then I thought, yes, good common-sense stuff. am only hoping that Mr Levy’s open-purse policy pays off this coming season and we can put our constant state of paranoia to bed.
well done!
Spurs – Over-rated and more money than brains
Villa – Not good enough
City – Bad owner and definitely not good enough
Everton – Not enough money but still got a better chance than all the rest
Newcastle – Small club, Crap Players and Crap manager
good article
Football is not a business to Chelsea – so the arguement breaks down. Business is run to provide a return on investment.
Years ago Jack Walker bankrolled Blackburn, to sign Shearer and Sutton, and win the league,
Abramovich is bank rolling Chelsea – unless someone tells me that they are making a profit?
So it is not a level playing field, is it?
All credit to the other 3 for achieving superiority on their own merits.
Being in the Champions League carries a minimum £15 Extra in revenue. So once you are in, you are already 1 top signing in front of everyone else.
I would find a financial handicap system that spreads the wealth around like they do in American (the biggest capitalist country of all) Pro Football.
wow what a surprise, what are the odds 2.Me is a man u fan of one of the top 4, probably living 200 miles from his team. well done brains keep up the good shallow support
I think money is a big factor, mainly the champions league money and prestige of playing in it. You’ll note that apart from city the other clubs in the league must enforce a very rigid wage structure while the top four are more flexible with much larger squads. Part of this is due to the disproportional amount of money available to champions league teams as opposed to other european compeitions. You say its not necessarily the salaries but this is one of the factors.
Also Aresenal spend less as they have a great youth and scout set up in place (largely thanks to wenger) but this itself takes time and money to set up, note that due to moving stadium they now also have a rigid wage structure in place and can’t buy big name players. (check out the books if you dont believe me).
Money is a big problem and I think you’re blind if you agree with Kenyon that its the rest of the leagues fault, when most attempt to run very tight ships still with losses every year. Possibly the best thing to happen in recent years is no top four winning the domestic cup competitions and everton and villa close to Liverpool.
The gaps are closing and take away the champions league millions and make it mainly just a prestigious competition people want to win for winnings sake then Im sure you’ll see a change in all domestic league across europe.
Good article. As a Newcastle fan I now despair, although we finished second on a couple of occasions, but now,in order
to get a Champions league place, every team, other than the usual four, will have to spend huge sums, play above themselves, get some lucky results and hope that one of the 4 has a poor season.
Toony you need a good set up. The Arsenal havent had the money for years but are still up there. Get yourself decent owners and a manager that wont put up with a thug in the team….then away you go.
The comments from Kenyon are crass beyond all belief. Anyone with a multi billionaire backer like Abramovich who doesn’t regard money as an object could mount a serious challenge. The real Chelsea are the team who were 1 day away from bankruptcy until Mr Moneybags turned up. Only the other three have maintained their status by being run like a business. The fact that four teams get in the Champions League is what is ruining football. It should be the winner of the league and that is that. The fact that 4 teams get the money means they always have that little bit extra to steal players from their four nearest rivals, thus keeping them in their place. Fans of teams not in CL should not watch the games on Sky or ITV, reduced audiences means reduced revenue from advertising, less money in the pot for paying the big clubs and the playing field narrows naturally
This article is made after Spurs have just signed Bentley, in addition to Modric and Dos Santos. With Arshavin also on the verge of signing for the club, I believe that Tottenham could be on the verge of doing something special. Their lack of Champions League qualification does not seem to have hindered their ability to sign some of the most exciting talent in Europe.
Personally, I think the biggest difference between the top four teams and the rest of the league are the quality of the managers and consequently the players’ belief in the managers’ ability to provide success. This is why I think that Tottenham and, in time, Manchester City will be challenging the top four very soon.
Bigger pull for fans is that why liverpool and chelsea get smaller crowds? Also how can you put neverton in the same breath as Newcastle? Have neverton actually played in the Champions League? Newcastle have.
What a load of guff, to quote and then agree with Peter Kenyon of all people is just ridiculous. Chelsea are a financial disaster but are being bankrolled by a billionaire. There position has nothing to do with any astute financial management by Kenyon. If Abrahamovic walked, and God 99.9% of us would love to see that Chelsea would go bust. Unlike the others they have no real base they were a yo-yo team throughout the 70s and 80s with miniscule crowds.
Oh and Mark how are you enjoying the scool holidays? Compare Everton’s record to Newcastle’s when you’ve had a good luck and realised Newcastle haven’t won anything for 50 years and even that was a tournament they entered by default come back and we’ll chat.
I think Keegan is completely right. As long as Sky, the BBC and the FA continually engineer the usual 4 finish in the top 4 spots, the real football fans will suffer. Oh and Mark, Newcastle have not won anything since 1964(?), if memory serves, so yes how can you but Newcastle and Everton in the same breath, Everton have actually been successful over then last 30 odd years….
IMO there is only one real solution to the problem of the perennial top 4. By introducing a wage cap structure across the whole of the premiership, we would start to get a much more level playing ground. I believe this is not too far away. There is no denying that the opportunity to play in the CL is a big drawing factor but if you think that £120000 per week as opposed to £40000 a week does not have any bearing on a players thoughts then you, like Mr Kenyon, are sadly deluded. I’m prepared to be shot down over this as I know that not everybody will agree with me but I sincerely believe that if we don’t do something soon the EPL will suffer severe consequences, attendances are already starting to creep down as prices continue to rise.
The Who calls himself “Me” If Newcastle Are A Small Club, Why Do we have the biggest fan base outside the top four? why have we picked up the premiership points in history other than any of the top 4? And I think you’ll find we’ve more trophies than City, Spurs and Everton have, just because we havn’t anything in a LONG time doesn’t mean before we that we didnt win lots.
Playing in the champions league before doesn’t mean anything mark, Newcastle could get a europe spot but not for a few years. I’m a Villa fan and I’m hoping we can cement our place in the UEFA this season. I know that Champs league is a long way off but not impossible, if Martin spends some money this year and Barry stays then we could well get top 6 again this year and maybe in a few seasons we could look at getting into the Champs league.
Anyway, good article, I was expecting something much much different and I only cam on here in the first place to shout at the author.
Good luck to Everton this year as I think they’re the only ones with a real shout for fourth this season, lets hope that puts Liverpool off and maybe we’ll even get 5th above them. Almost happened last year
As a spurs fan im biased of course but stepping back and taking a sober look at the EPL
spurs are definately shaping up now …..ramos knows whats needed to mount a serious challenge..to the top four…..the talent in spurs says it all……
what a load of rubbish MARK, although i do agree, you can’t talk about Newcastle and Everton in the same breath. Everton have won the league so many more times than newcastle and have also been in the top flight longer than any club in england. We also played in the champions league a couple of years ago and went out the semi finalists Villareal. oh and by the way we did with virtually no money whereas newcastle have been doing absolutely nothing with loads of money.do your research
Only 3 teams this season have a chance of challenging the top 4 IMO. Spurs, Villa and Everton. City may have an outside chance, but that is where the list ends. Andy – having a large fan base does not make a club, a big club. Consistent success make clubs “big clubs”. If it wasn’t for the Premier League money Newcastle get they would be back down in the Championship where they belong….
The current monopoly is built on the money that comes from the Champions League. As soon as any other team looks like getting close, the CL teams use that money to disrupt and destroy their potential rivals – just ask Spurs and Aston Villa this summer.
The only way the monopoly will be broken is by a change in the rules for CL qualification. The easiest way to do this is a simple change that says no team can play in the CL competition 2 years running unless they either win it, or win their domestic league (i.e. are real champions). Such a change would mean the current 4 would becomae 7 at least, so the best players would be spread over more teams, and the Premiership would become a real competition again, not just a glorified version of the SPL.
Good article, unbiased but opinion based. Plus the obligatory Newcastle slagging in the comments section, good show! When people point out how long its been since we won anything do they expect us to just go ‘Yeah actually we’re crap’.. In my personal opinion, the league standings define who is and who is not a good club, therefore we do not belong in the championship at all, as we’ve never went down in a good while. We currently stand 12th best in england, and i think the only challengers to the top 4 will be spurs, as everton play boring football as always, and fluked last season i think. Spurs have signed some quality players and have the money to go forward, and i feel we too could be a force if MA would relese the moths from his wallet.
You are talking rubbish watch everton next season , we would of finished 4th last season but got robbed point by bad refs which has proved right , wrongley disallowed goals and offside’s thats should never have happened we are on the up and will make the top 4 this season.
Andy,
Have newcastle won more trophies than Everton. I think not. Lets compare.
Top Flight league title Newcastle 4, Everton 9
FA Cup Newcastle 6, Everton 5
Charilty Shield Newcastle 5 Everton 9(once shared)
European comps -Newc 1 (Fairs Cup) Everton 1(ewcwc)
totals Newcastle – 16. Everton 24.
Get your facts straight please.
Excellent article Guys and Spot on!!.I would like to know who “ME” follows as his comments smack of arrogance and ignorance regarding the chasing pack.Everton ,Villa Man City, Spurs have all got pedigree and hopefully will break up the dominance that has prevailed in recent years in the top league.As for the Toon, mid table at best, its gonna take some time before we can think of attempting to get into the top 4.As for “ME”, stick to your Hornby train sets and perhaps your local Subbuteo league, because behind your “rose tinted glasses”, you know F**K ALL about the Game!!.
“Jimbobbys” maybe you should do your research.Everton have not been in the top flight longer then any other club in England! Arsenal have. Everton were promoted to top flight in 1954 whilst Arsenal were promoted in 1919. That means Everton have been in top flight for 54 years and Arsenal have been in the top flight for 89 years. Not even close! Good article though!
It’s more than just the money that divides the top 4 from the rest – it’s also their CL status. If Villa offer player x exactly the same contract as Liverpool, he is almost certainly going to go to the team playing CL football. It has become a monopoly exactly as the G14 always wanted – protecting their interests.
If anyone can break the top 4 this season it’s Spurs, we have a top class manager and have signed some very talented players this summer, who look like they will form a team much more like Ramos’ Sevilla side. I think Bent will have a big role to play this time around. If Arshavin and Pavlyuchenko come in as widely reported, that would be a serious statement of intent from Levy and I think Spurs will play some blistering football next season.
Everton will be strong as usual, with Villa, Pompey and Man City in and around the UEFA places.
great article. the writen got points there. the most important, a team can succeed even without much money to spend. arsenal is the best example. they spend relatively low compare to the other big clubs and even some mid table club outspend arsenal. but arsenal still able to maintain top 4 spot. why is that? after all, no matter how much football become a business, football is about playing the ball as a team. if u play the ball the right way, there’s always possibalities to be at the top.
You know, I didnt even know mags had won so many FA Cups, I dont care, its the football. Who plays it, so you can remmeber it, the way you alone like to see it. Liverpool used to do it, Man U when they had that black kit 2nd time they won Sky’s League. And N.U.F.C were the closest since then.
You need to factor in the wild money players go for today. For instance; Warren Barton ( like a Nicky Shorey ) cost £ 4.5 m, a lot of money for a defensive player back then.
L I think that you will find that Everton have spent more seasons in the top flight than anyone and are still the only club to spend 100 seasons of top flight football. 105 now actually. Compared to Arsenals 93
We have also spend lthe fewest amount of seasons outside the top flight since the FL began – 4 seasons!
everton have spent the most seasons in the top division than any other club.they have only been in the second division for 3 years since 1878.
Arsenal do spend little compared to the other top 3, which they should and are commended for, but they are already considered a “big 4″ team. That is why they succeed. Teams who spend equivalent amounts in the close season like Everton, Spurs, Villa, etc. do not have that privilege and are therefore in a much more difficult position. Until a team like Everton breaks into the top 4 and is not robbed of CL spot (like a few seasons ago), the Premier League will become of a farce.
It’s really annoying when you hear “big 4″ supporters (mainly Liverpool fans) saying “it would be a waste of a CL spot if anyone else finishes in the top 4″. IMO ONLY the CHAMPIONS should go into the CHAMPIONS League. But that’s where the BBC, Sky, UEFA and the other money men step in. More matches = more money.
Seasons in the Top-Flight from 1888-89 to end of 2007-08.
A total of 109 seasons.
105 Everton
97 Aston Villa
93 Liverpool
91 Arsenal
83 Manchester United
79 Manchester City
78 Newcastle United
77 Sunderland
73 Tottenham Hotspur
73 Chelsea
71 West Bromwich Albion
69 Bolton Wanderers
66 Sheffield Wednesday
68 Blackburn Rovers
65 Derby County
60 Wolverhampton Wanderers
60 Sheffield United
59 Middlesbrough
56 Nottingham Forest
55 Birmingham City
52 Stoke City
51 Burnley
51 West Ham United
50 Leeds United
46 Preston North End
46 Leicester City
34 Coventry City
34 Southampton
31 Portsmouth
30 Notts County
30 Huddersfield Town
27 Blackpool
26 Ipswich Town
26 Charlton Athletic
22 Bury
20 Queens Park Rangers
20 Norwich City
19 Fulham
16 Luton Town
15 Cardiff City
14 Wimbledon
13 Crystal Palace
12 Oldham Athletic
12 Grimsby Town
12 Bradford City
9 Bristol City
8 Watford
5 Brentford
5 Accrington
4 Brighton & Hove Albion
3 Oxford United
3 Bradford Park Avenue
3 Wigan Athletic
2 Darwen
2 Reading
2 Swansea City
2 Millwall
1 Swindon Town
1 Northampton
1 Leyton Orient
1 Glossop North End
1 Carlisle United
1 Barnsley
L do your research mate, i dont know where you got your stats from but you are clearly wrong. It is undisputes – Everton have been in the topflight for more years than any other club
i dont understand why rovers dont get as much respect as we deserve. we are always finishing in the top half and challenging for the uefa cup. we have won the premier league.. that more than i can say for spurs, newcastle, everton and villa put together. its just the fact that we are a small club compared these but we always fight above our weight. if we can secure some financial backing sometime in the future, we would be finishing in the top 6 every season.
What chance have the rest of us got when even ManU are struggling to hang on to W*nker Ronaldo, (AKA the slave). He won the Premiership and the Champions League last season and even thats not enough for him. Maybe players should be legally forced to honour their contracts, or should clubs be allowed to cut their wages if they don’t perform to Premiership standards. Who suffers from the attitude of greedy players? Us, the fans!
I think that football is a business for Chelsea as well. Despite Abramovich’s heavy investment in the club, if you have been listening to Kenyon, he says that the club plans to relieve all debts in the near future (he actually set a date, but it skips my mind).
Also, the difference in revenue between a Champions League club (Manchester United) versus a non-Champions League club (Tottenham) in 2007 was masive. Manchester United had an income of 209 million pounds, while Tottenham made 103 million; Aston Villa and Everton made about 60 million each (I read this in The Guardian).
This article is fucking brilliant. Good work mate.
Excellent article Andrei.
The likes of Tottenham, Everton, Portsmouth, and Villa are trying to build for the Champions League and making the top four, but it’s going to be extremely hard to dislodge one of the big four on a regular basis.
Every now and then, one of them will have a down season and give one of those guys a chance to steal in and get a CL spot, but year in, year out? It’s possible, but it’ll take time and either a drop back by one of the big guys or a big jump by one of the contenders.
But, just like Leeds made their run, so did Newcastle, and now Liverpool has assumed that fourth spot…so it’s not unreasonable for a Tottenham to feel like they can be that fourth before long.
The champions league place nearly go Everton relegated as their squad was too thin to cope. I seriously think Spurs have everything in place to challenge Arsenal and Liverpool for 3rd place. It’s hard to see United outside of the top two, and it’d have to take something crazy from Scolari to do the same to cska london….
The problem with Newcastle is in the last 10 years we have pissed money up the wall on players like Viana, Luque, Marcelino, Gavilna, Boumsong…etc.
Now that the chairman isn’t spending mass money people are slagging him off. He has rescued us from bankruptcy and £100m debts. And he is implementing a youth system so that we can produce some of the top youngsters like Arsenal have done.
Tottenham are spending a lot of money, Dos Santos, Modric, Bentley, Arshavin(probable)are all good signings but its not good enough if you are going to sell Keane and Berbatov.
Everton just don’t have the money to compete.
Same with Villa.
Manchester City will do a Newcastle over the last 10 years and get nowhere.
Blackburn will drop like a stone.
Portsmouth are spending more money than they bring in so they should be very careful about their finances.
And as for Newcastle, we will be underated by the ‘experts’ but if you look at our team we have some real quality. Owen, Martins, Viduka, N’Zogbia, Duff(WHEN he rediscovers his form), Beye, Given(and Harper), Gutierrez looked good for Mallorcaa and hopefully he can transfer that form.
Our team is just as good as Everton’s, Villa’s and Manchester City so there is no reason why we can’t challenge for the top 6.
We all know that the top 4 will remain the same but if any team will do it this year it would be Spurs, if only they could keep King and Woodgate fit for a whole season they might be able to defend.
Its just a matter of time before some club owners get sick and pull out leaving the club in debt. Then it’ll be down to the clubs which are ran the best by an owner who really cares, has the right staff and setup and loyal fans. SAFC to break the top 4 in 2013 perhaps. In the meantime the top 2 is almost certain with Liverpool Spurs and Arsenal challenging for 3rd. As for the rest were either battling relegation or dreaming of UEFA
your article is gay.Newcastle and Everton have a better chance than any1 in the league.and anyway the top for are gay.the only way they are in the top 4 is because they suck up to the referee.who fixs the game
I could make countless comments on this article and the responses but will go with this:
Football is BIG BIG busines since the start of the Premiership and the expansion of the CL. Liverpool, Man Utd and Arsenal are in the top 4 thru excellence in club management and (consequently) reaping the financial rewards that went with this as the product spread worldwide with unprecedented demand. Every other club fell behind. When it all started there was a reasonably level playing field for all. This parallels business. The best thrive, the poor performers fall by the wayside.
As for Chelsea, it’s a free market economy and anyone with the money is entitled to invest and fund a club(business) anyway they want. Let’s face it, what club out there, and their fans, would not rejoice at the arrival of a billionaire like Abramovich and what it would mean for them. In this context I take issue with Andrei’s comment:
“Thaksin Shinawatra can throw around as much money as he wants in his attempt to take Manchester City to the summit of the Premier League, but he will never have the players to pose a real threat to Chelsea or Manchester United.”
He will, Andrei, if he throws enough money around, ala Abramovitch. That’s the game now. Like it or lump it, you better at least believe it and nothing within the ‘laws’ of football is going to change that as the business and employment law overrules anything that Blatter can dream up.
Any concept that anyone can take away the advantage that the top teams have gained thru excellence in club management, developing commercial markets worldwide, reinvesting in their teams to keep them at the top and generally producing an outstanding product that promotes and expands football at a gloabl level, which is completely alligned with the key objectives of FIFA and UEFA, is, frankly, ridiculous and naiive. Business is business, and the best survive and thrive. I have heard no reasonable argument that contradicts that it should remain so.
newcastle can make it to the champions league if only the right morale is injected into the club, they have done it before even without huge fund. ArsenaL DON’T spend too big in market YET THEY advance and progress immensely. So, to me, all that is needed in the team is the right attitude, personels and motivational measures.
Brian,
Agreed with everything you say. I wonder what will happen though, if Platini’s push for making sport a ’special case’ in the EU and thus subject to different business / employment laws actually comes through. Tbh I’m not comfortable with Blatter’s ideas of weakening clubs to strengthen international football, but Blatter is hot air. Platini is in a position to really mess things up…
Ahmed,
I don’t believe that Platini will succeed. While we’re all in love with football and hold it in high esteem, the EU bureaucrats are not and its hard to make any rational argument in favour of his position, especially when we are talking about hugely overpaid brats!
Their other fear would be with setting a precedent that would jeprodise the case with other professions. Whatever about considering the case of a subdued minority, making an exception for this elite band of mercenaries is unlikely, I think.
Let’s not forget Derby’s win last year vs. newcastle. You guys aren’t going to the top four for a while, keep living in the past. Blackburn lost talent this year. Tottenham picked up young talent, and will probably puncture the top 4 soonest, as their squad keeps growing younger and stronger. Pompey, Villa, and Everton are all respectable teams, and are all getting better. Boo to ManCity, and Newcastle, stop wasting money on your team, and give it to me. I’d be more productive with it.
chelsea may be different to the original big 3 but roman is much smarter then tottenham or man city. Roman did bank roll chelsea who were around everton level before he bought them, on the verge but just not enough quality players. Now we have a large debt, 700 million which is interest free. This makes it much easier to pay off then manU debt. Also chelsea as they are now are not blowing money, they have established themselves as a big name and are slowly building up their global brand. The chelsea brand compared to the tottenham or everton brand is massive. The reason chelsea and liverpool have less numbers is simple a smaller stadium, that said away support for chelsea is trash.
Chelsea are also more focussed then many of the other PL clubs with much of their investments being done to turn profits in a later date, chelsea needed the early wins to make their name, now that they have the name they can concentrate on the football side of things. If roman stays on for 10 more years he will have a club that is turning in a profit since chelsea’s aim is to go into the green from 2010 or something(more believable if they aim for 2012)
frem, Chelsea were in a Champions League spot when Abramovich bought them. Back then, the top four were not cemented and Newcastle and Leeds were also regulars of the Champions League. Liverpool were also in on-off periods.
When Abramovich bought a club with a decent reputation (much better than Newcastle or Everton by any standards) and put the club on financial steroids, Chelsea instantly became a very convenient club for players to be at
I see that a lot of people are sore and pissed at Liverpool Fc for whatever reasons. Well, Aston Villa , Newcastle and Everton fans must realise this- its GAME OVER. All of those 3 teams had the chance to be in the TOP 4.
When LFC was being destroyed by a certain Souness, Aston Villa were tussling with Manutd 4 the title and got in the Uefa many times but failed to get a top team status.
Newcastle Utd had a class manager but they chose 2 sack him and replaced him with whom? SOUNESS…N now they got barton- they deserve 2 get relegated.
In the final years of houiller era n the 1st season of benitez’s , everton got in the cl. N what have they done? They lost in the 3rd round n had a shitty season. N LFC, well they just got from the 1st round (thx 2 a cl WIN) up to the knockout stages n won the Fa cup .
If I seem a little arrogant in defending my team is that things have never been easy 4 LFC and this team achieved its potential – the top 4 will not change this season- but its order will.
I said Game Over, but really its not. To be in the top 4 is not to sneak a CL place on a on-off year-but its to remain there-to have the squad, mentality, finance of staying there. Manutd, Arsenal have got great stadia, n LFC’s have emminent plans to build one. The three have got great history and the greatest fan base. Chelsea has none of the attributes…They will sink to mid-table, i’m afraid when their owner leave them. LFC’s owners? Well, they’re interested in making cash. N this is possible by participating in the CL n winning titles.
I think spurs or pompey will make it 2 4th in some time-maybe 3-4 years. Rednapp is an incedible manager… making pompey rise 2 EPL with over 100 pts (i vaguely remember), making them european pedigree- top class.. better than o’neill in fact. N here we once wanted him 4 LFC. You’ll never walk alone.
Anyone can play in the CL, but coming down this close to the new season there are 6 teams in my opinion that can challenge to play in the Champions League next season. They are Man U, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, Everton, and Tottenham. The latter 2 have the ability I believe to make a real run for it.
Spurs have brought in Modric, Bentley, Gomes, Dos Santos for about 42 million all together. Spurs didn’t have enough creativity in their midfield this past season. This season they will have more than enough. However, they have sold Robbie Keane to Liverpool, albeit for a much overpriced 19 million. And Dimitar Berbatov is going to be sold to Manchester United it looks like for about 26-28 million. So the best part of the team is being broken up. Spurs also need to buy a holding midfielder. Zokora works hard but he isn’t what they need at the holding midfield role. Miguel Veloso fits the need perfectly for Spurs, and I think they have a real shot to buy him. They also need cover at Center Back with the injury prone Woodgate and King. Also, with the departure of Keane and the imminent departure of Berbatov they still need another striker or 2. Roman Pavlyuchenko has been heavily linked, and they still need another forward, and Arhsavin has been linked.
By the way I am a Tottenham fan, and this is what we need to compete with the big 4. I’m not coming on here saying we are CL BOUND! We are on the way but still have things to take care of.
You do realise most of what Liverpool spend is on player sales dont you?
To be fair, the top 4 get a lot of stick from lower teams, or fans of lower teams saying it is unfair, have a think:
- Where would you be if like in Spain, football clubs can sell their own TV rights, instead of getting a share of all premier league TV rights?
- What would the EPL be without the top 4?
Yeah, I agree that other teams should be able to break in to the top 4, there is nothing stopping them, things could be ALOT worse for them.
This year, I believe Everton and Spurs have a good chance of being able to grab 4th, or maybe even higher, who knows.