Interesting timing, given the Super League news. Makes me wonder if Jose was vocally against it, and Levy decided to sack him.
[Soccer] Lets talk soccer
- Thread starter blotsfan
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That may be how he'd like to spin it, but the side's form has been crap. So it was probably coming anyway.
Indeed, but given that they have a cup final coming up, which represents Tottenham's only chance of silverware this season, to sack him now seems very odd. I would've figured he'd be sacked in the summer, after they've got a permanent replacement lined up.
If - and this is a very big IF - FIFA actually holds true and anyone playing in the Euroleague can't compete on the national scale or in the domestic leagues, this is dead on arrival. But they won't. And thus, it won't. And the further stratification into different levels of play continues.
Maybe I'm cynical, but I doubt players care that much about playing for their countries when they have an extra 10 million euros a year dangled in front of their faces.
That being said, I feel like the domestic leagues actually will hold firm on kicking out the teams that do this. I don't think they like the idea of turning into a minor league, which if this league happens will be the case no matter what. I get that their TV deals will plummet if they lose the big squads but they will probably also plummet in the future if they don't. My gut says that if this league happens, it's something that ends up hurting everyone longterm.
That being said, I feel like the domestic leagues actually will hold firm on kicking out the teams that do this. I don't think they like the idea of turning into a minor league, which if this league happens will be the case no matter what. I get that their TV deals will plummet if they lose the big squads but they will probably also plummet in the future if they don't. My gut says that if this league happens, it's something that ends up hurting everyone longterm.
The players may not care. The public does. A Portugal without Ronaldo against Argentina without Messi? Who cares?
It may work out for the current generation of superstar players, but the next one? Nuh-uh.
Of course, we may see two competing sports come out of this - one with camera control and such, the other one without; or one with more or less allowances for doping; I can see the rules start to diverge if they don't have to follow one another... Not sure anyone wants that, though.
It's a decision that I can only see working in the favor of a small group of super-rich, and even so, not necessarily long term.
Here's my question: how many games do top-tier teams in Europe actually play during a given calendar year? I mean, yeah, the Premiership has 38 regular season games, but in addition to the Champions League and all the other "super" leagues, how many games would a team like, say, ManU or Real Madrid actually play in a given calendar year?
Using Man Utd in the 2019-2020 season as a rough benchmark, they played 67 matches in total, including league matches, cup matches, continental matches, friendlies, etc. Obviously this would vary somewhat for other teams, due to factors like a different number of teams in the league, different cup competitions and formats, making it farther in cup and continental competitions, etc.
I could see the (Yomiuri) Giants and (Hanshin) Tigers being allowed in the rich kids' club, but Dominican and Cuban? Not a chance. The quality of play might be there, but they're still peasants. And peasants need not apply.
Again, compared to the Giants and Tigers in NPB, and most of MLB, peasants.
And even the Tigers have to take a back seat to high school baseball in their own stadium.
Boy, Roma really swooped in, didn't they. Feels like this came out of nowhere.
It's all 'bout the money.It's all 'bout the dum dum dadadeedum
(we're missing a decent music smiley)
Gerd Muller has died at the age of 75.
547 goals in 594 games for Bayern Munich. 68 goals in 62 games for West Germany (yes that's better than a goal a game). Only Messi has scored more goals in a calendar year.
547 goals in 594 games for Bayern Munich. 68 goals in 62 games for West Germany (yes that's better than a goal a game). Only Messi has scored more goals in a calendar year.