Growing Divides At The Top Levels Of English Football
Tue, 6 May 2008Continuing in a similar vein from here, a comparison between the top leagues in Europe is useful. I have collated the stats here:
I’ll be adding Holland next.
Until recently, France was as open as England used to be, but Lyon have dominated the French championship in recent years.
Having top clubs competing in both their domestic league and in the Champions League (and the UEFA Cup) increases the divide. The dominance of top clubs is reinforced by having two significant sources of revenue, while the rest of the league only has only one (excluding domestic cup competitions).
There is no level playing field, and what is sport without a level playing field?
Football Administrators And Structures « FIOFAFI Football Resources
[...] As I have said previously: “Having top clubs competing in both their domestic league and in the Champions League [...]
More On Clubs Promoted From The Second Tier And The Top 3 In The First Tier
[...] More On Clubs Promoted From The Second Tier And The Top 3 In The First Tier 10 May 2008 Continuing from here, on how clubs promoted from the second tier fare in the first tier, and here, on how difficult it has become to break into the top 3 in the Premier League: [...]
England & The 6-5 Principle
[...] distinct system and style of play. European clubs tend to reflect the national identity. Although a gap has developed between the top 4 and the rest of the Premier League, it remains a highly competitive league (even if it is between the top 4 on the one hand, and the [...]