Is the English Premier League Boring?
May 12, 2008
This article is in response to Kevin Keegan’s comments made after his side’s 2-0 defeat to Chelsea in the penultimate match of the campaign. So, let’s start with exactly what Mr Keegan said;
“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,”
“What I can say to the Newcastle fans is that we will be trying to get fifth and we will be trying to win the other league that’s going on within the Premier League. I haven’t got enough money and I wouldn’t be able to get the players anyway (to do any better than that), so I will soldier on with what I’ve got and maybe add one or two, maybe three, depending what’s available.”
Speaking about his side’s defeat to Chelsea, he said;
“I thought, ‘What can I do next year to get near them’ and the truth is there’s nothing I can do at all, I was looking around thinking, ‘who can I bring on’ and I’m seeing (Andriy) Shevchenko and (Frank) Lampard coming on and Joe Cole thinking about coming on.”
“If I can get three or four players in to add to what I have got here - and we have that bit of luck you need with no injuries to key players - then we might be able to win the second division of the Premier League.”
Ok, so where do we start with this?!
Firstly, whereas Keegan does make a few good points, the word ‘boring’ seems a little harsh considering the premiership title has just been won on the last day of the season, and the relegation battle went right down to the wire - in fact with 15 mins remaining of the season, Fulham were looking as though they were relegated. Only 1 goal changed it, and Reading went down instead.
Does this constitute boring? I don’t think so.
But, Keegan’s point is duly noted all the same. There is blatantly a top 4, and any other team is going to find it hard to break into those 4. Spurs have come close twice in recent years, and Everton gave Liverpool a run for their money earlier in the season. Does this make the league boring?
The Newcastle manager’s comments could almost be classed as an oxymoron. How can a great league be a boring league? Surely the basis of any great league is competitiveness?
So, the question must be, is the English Premier League competitive?
Compared to other national leagues, the premiership provides much more exciting football weekly than any other league. But, the top four do dominate.
Success Breeds Success
Football is business. Each football club is a business in it’s own right. Fans sometimes forget this, but the ultimate goal of any business is to make a profit.
There is an amazing amount of money in football and clubs deal in millions of pounds every day. The more successful a club is, the more revenue it generates. In football, money leads to success. Therefore, success breeds success (just like any business, right?).
Just for qualifying for the group stages of the UEFA Champions League, a club will receive £2.4million. Plus, a match bonus of £320,000 per match played. A team will play a minimum of 6 Champions League matches, so this equates to an absolute minimum of £4.32million for qualifying. We haven’t even covered performance bonuses (£480,000 for a win, £240,000 for a draw respectively), or reaching the latter stages. Neither have we included gate receipts and TV money.
Man Utd and Chelsea will be playing for a £5.6million prize when they meet in the final on 21st May - not including ticket sales, merchandise, sponsorship, and TV money.
Like any business, a percentage of that revenue will be invested into the expansion of the business. Expansion of a football club can be anything from stadium improvements, to buying new players. So, the more profitable the football club becomes, the more success they tend to have, leading to more prize money (revenue), and ultimately more success.
So, what we see happening with the top four, is the result of past success. All four teams have won either the Premier League, or Champions League in the last 5 years. In Man Utd and Arsenal’s case, both. Behind the scenes at any football club, you will find a business the same as any other. There are hirings and firings, promotions and all the rest of it. There are marketing departments, legal departments, and so on.
These people are the unsung heroes. They are the people who decide where the money goes, and how to take the club forward. The top four evidently have a great team of business professionals who have invested well, and built the clubs to become among the richest in the world.
The domination of the top four is purely down to the fact they are mega-successful businesses, who can afford to pay top fees for management, facilities, and staff (including players). With this success, and the huge profits, the clubs will continue to grow, and become more profitable, and more successful.
The one possible exception to this rule is Chelsea. Roman Abramovich has bought the club and invested millions and millions of pounds into the club. Most of the Chelsea signings have been bankrolled by his personal wealth. It’s been reported that the club has not yet made a profit since the Russian took over the club. Abramovich took a risk by buying Chelsea, and almost an entirely new squad. But, I’m sure this investment will pay off soon.
We can compare Abramovich’s actions directly to Real Estate. Every day, up and down the country, houses are bought and sold. Many private investors have bought houses that are falling apart for a low price, improved them, and either sold them on or rented the property for a fixed price.
What Abramovich has done with Chelsea is similar (not that Chelsea were falling apart mind). He has purchased property, improved on it, and knows that he could now easily sell the club for a profit. Ultimately though, Chelsea will become profitable, and Abramovich will make a return on his investment. Rest assured, Chelsea is not Abramovich’s only business!
Boring?
So, is the Premier League boring. That was the original question. We have some of the best players in the world playing week in, week out. But many stay away - although I think that our climate is the main reason that many stars never appear in the Premier League.
Players like Cristiano Ronaldo grace our screens with fantastic footballing skills. Our matches are normally end-to-end and can go either way. Does this sound boring?
It’s my honest opinion that Kevin Keegan’s comments were made in angst for two reasons;
- Newcastle had just lost 2-0
- For his own job security! Keegan’s comments came at the end of an unsuccessful season for the club - and it’s possible that he needed to remind the board that they can’t expect miracles…… Shame the comments were made too late for the Man City board - who seem to think they can win the premiership with the click of a new owner’s fingers.
I am of the opinion that the top four are NOT untouchable. But, it’s going to be a few years before we see any change. A football club must be built on stability - along with being a well managed business. There are no clubs there yet - but they are coming. I’ll put my money on Everton, Aston Villa, and Spurs giving them a run for their money.
I would add Man City to the list, but with their club in the control of someone who has no idea about football, and is willing to get rid of a manager for no apparent reason whatsoever!
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Comments
One Response to “Is the English Premier League Boring?”
Have you got something to say? Say it then.......
Boring ?????, only to those who arn’t winning anything.
Lift your game fella’s and make your own excitement.
Norman Parke .
West Australia