Has English Premier League football become too predictable and boring?

In 1956-7, Ipswich Town Football Club was promoted from Division 3 (South) to Division 2 (what's now called the Championship). Its success continued, reaching Division 1 (when it really was Division 1 and not, in effect, Division 3), and becoming English champions in its first season in the top flight (1961-2). Admittedly, the team's success owed a lot to the brilliance of Alf Ramsey, who later became the only manager ever to lead England to World Cup victory, but we all know it couldn't happen now. Nobody in their right mind would expect Swansea to become Premier League champions this season, only a very small group of teams can possibly achieve that. Realistically, only about seven teams have any chance of finishing in the top four - isn't it all too predictable, and therefore boring?

It all comes down to money, like so many things in life. Manchester United supporters used to joke that the two best teams in Manchester were Manchester United and Manchester United reserves, but I doubt if they do that now after their recent 6-1 thrashing by Manchester City. So what's changed? Manchester City was taken over by a group of businessmen from Abu Dhabi and received an enormous injection of cash.

Wouldn't you prefer it if Ipswich Town, or maybe Swansea or Wigan, had a chance of being English champions?

here in England, you take the ground that a viable coal mine sits on (Wearmouth) and put a Football? Stadium on it - Stadium of SH er Light.

In Scotland, the old football ground in Perth - Muirton Park is now a massive ASDA

I prefer the Scottish solution

Lets ban football , men on a £100'000 pw+ tricking the ref into thinking they have been fouled in or around the penalty area as they roll around in OTT dramatic pain,,hang on that's cheating isnt it?

what?,,,,no never,,,are you trying to tell me that this is now accepted tactics,,no wonder i think football is crap, because IT IS!.

football became boring a long time ago round about the same time chelsea became an international squad and we began having foreign blokes manage our national team.

Hello NIN. Welcome to this forum.

"Ban football", did you say? LOL. Now who's being a spoilsport?

Everybody over the age of 5 should have to support Leeds utd or face the snip.

Keep watching the meteoric rise of Crawley Town. I guess someone has injected a load of money into the club, just as they have with the more illustrious Manchester City.

Money is the root. When Stanley Matthews first filled the sports pages, few footballers were paid more than £20 a week. Of course in the English game, they were all English, so that's understandable.

oftenwrong wrote:Money is the root. When Stanley Matthews first filled the sports pages, few footballers were paid more than £20 a week. Of course in the English game, they were all English, so that's understandable.

In the 40's and 50's footballers had a full time job, two from our village worked on the coalface, one played foot ball for York City, the other for Doncaster Rovers, got paid abour £8 pounds a game. Charlie Williams, worked down the mine and played for Doncaster Rovers, before he turned is hand to being a comedian, working in Working mens clubs. They played with more passion than a lot of the footballers do now, no fancy names like the Premier League, or Champions League, just Divisions 1, 2, 3, and 4.

Jack, I remember my grandfather telling me something similar. £8 a match, plus an extra £4 for a win or £2 for a draw. (In those days, it was one point for a draw and just two points for a win.) At least it made the players more concerned about winning, in comparison to our modern day prima donnas who strut around the pitch and still get an astronomical salary regardless of the result of the game.

Gary Speed, manager of Wales has been found dead, police say there are no suspicious circumstances. Speed, age 42 years old, took over Wales in February, Wales was doing very well under his command. Gary was a good football player himself, played for some of the top English football clubs, he retired from playing football in 2010. He well be sadly missed by his family, friends and the footballing fraternity.

It appears Gary Speed has hung himself, the whole football scene is in shock, the Welsh football team where doing well under his leadership. Now we will have to wait for further news, if he has hung himself for doing well, what will other managers do who's teams are not doing so well.

Thank the Lord for it being football. Rugby couldn't take much more at the
moment.

what will other managers do who's teams are not doing so well.

Thhey could stab themselves 4 times in the back, then throw themselves off a bridge.

Ivan wrote:In 1956-7, Ipswich Town Football Club was promoted from Division 3 (South) to Division 2 (what's now called the Championship). Its success continued, reaching Division 1 (when it really was Division 1 and not, in effect, Division 3), and becoming English champions in its first season in the top flight (1961-2). Admittedly, the team's success owed a lot to the brilliance of Alf Ramsey, who later became the only manager ever to lead England to World Cup victory, but we all know it couldn't happen now. Nobody in their right mind would expect Swansea to become Premier League champions this season, only a very small group of teams can possibly achieve that. Realistically, only about seven teams have any chance of finishing in the top four - isn't it all too predictable, and therefore boring?

It all comes down to money, like so many things in life. Manchester United supporters used to joke that the two best teams in Manchester were Manchester United and Manchester United reserves, but I doubt if they do that now after their recent 6-1 thrashing by Manchester City. So what's changed? Manchester City was taken over by a group of businessmen from Abu Dhabi and received an enormous injection of cash.

Wouldn't you prefer it if Ipswich Town, or maybe Swansea or Wigan, had a chance of being English champions?

Yes it is very boring most of the time. I remember Ipswich town betting Man Utd 6.1 at home. that does not happen to day. as the sport is now run for both the TV men and City bankers. its became quite sad in some many ways as working families can no longer afford to go. The last time I went to West Ham that was my local club as a child it cost me £100 for the day. quite crazy if you ask me. now I am far more happy to watch Non-League football and enjoy it a great deal more as well. not that Football in my first love in sport now. to much into my working class sport of BRISCA F1 Stockcar racing that costs me just £13 for 3 hours racing.

Ivan wrote:Keep watching the meteoric rise of Crawley Town. I guess someone has injected a load of money into the club, just as they have with the more illustrious Manchester City.

How funny you should write about Crawley Town Ivan. as my dads brother played for them back in the 1960s. how times have changed

Football at the highest levels seems to be run in the same way, and by the same people, as casino banking.

How long can that last?

oftenwrong wrote:Football at the highest levels seems to be run in the same way, and by the same people, as casino banking.

How long can that last?

I agree with that. I was reading a newspaper the other day and some football Agent was saying his player would be seeking a move because he believes he is worth more than his £100,000 a week salary. what world are they living in?

I dont agree this is one of the most exciting seasons EVER (especially if you are a Blue) Its not the predictable Utd and Chelsea that are vying for top slot. Liverpool has returned to form under Kenny and Spurs are doing excellent inspite of Harry (still cant for give them for 1982)! There are some months to go before the end of the season and anything can happen. Not happy with some of the refereeing decisions that are taking place, think there needs to be a proper re reading of the rules so we can see a consistency applied. Ref's shouldnt be frightend that managers will call them they should do what is RIGHT. So dont agree that the Premier League has become predictable or boring. How could it be with the likes of David Silva, Aguero, Yaya and of course Mario.

Jane744 - soccer is a horribly male-dominated activity which attracts the most boorish of blokes who differ little from unhousetrained chimps. Besides, love, you're just a woman and wouldn't understand...

Rev Hornby! I know Jane from 'Twitter', and I'd like to welcome her here, but you've just taken your life in your hands.......
:affraid:

Jane is correct - this is a much more interesting season in the Premier League, with three teams in with a chance of the title and four more fighting for the fourth place in the Champions League. However, after that there is a wide gulf, with the other thirteen times probably satisfied if they stay in the Premier League and continue to receive the vast revenues (presumably from Sky) that it brings.

Perhaps the most boring aspect was when for several years the top four never changed - Man Utd and Chelsea in the first two places, followed by Arsenal and Liverpool in the next two. The revival of Tottenham, Newcastle and Man City has made things less predictable.

Ivan - I must just hope that Jane is a fan of Irony Rovers...!

It's not the Football that's boring, it's the know-all know-nothing charlatans masquerading as "Commentators" who are sending all of us to sleep.

Amazed people still dont understand the beautiful game   and choose to ridicule it! Yes your right I am a woman and I understand the off side rule and all the rules of association football. Have a walk on the terraces on a Saturday and you will see the most diverse in our society enjoying time with friends and family! Fans are not 'boorish blokes'
Will let first blood go to you but NEVER again! nice to meet ya :bom:

Hello Jane. Read 'Pease Pottage Conservative Club News' and it will help you to understand Phil's sense of humour. He's one of the kindest and gentlest people you could meet - until he comes across a Tory, and then he likes to shove a sharp stick somewhere that the sun doesn't shine!

Is it safe to remove the tin hat yet.........?

Not if your name is Capello.

Re: Has English Premier League football become too predictable and boring?

Football is better now than it has ever been, and is getting better.



English football went off the rails some years ago, European football left our game well behind. When European teams started playing one touch football and passing the ball to a players feet, we where still playing the long ball game and passing to space for a player to run to the ball, no wonder our players ran out of steam half way through the second half.

I hear and read people saying that money has ruined football. I for one disagree. Money has made the best players play better and mediocre players improve in order to keep their place in a team. And no matter how much cash you have in your “sky” it can not effect what the 22 men on the pitch do during a match.

People mention players like the great Sir Stanley Mathews. Well I’m sorry to say, but on his best day, he couldn’t live with the modern game. I’m not saying, if he was playing today he wouldn’t be a great player, because he probably would, its just that the game has moved into another gear, and today’s players are far more skilful and fitter than their predecessors. The finance is done off the pitch and what is left is 22 men giving us the best football we have ever seen.

Come on you Blues.

Knowing that professional wrestling on TV is scripted, there can occasionally be moments watching Football when there is just a wee hint of choreography.

e.g. Player has possession, opponent challenges, both roll on floor clutching shins. Captain waves arms around in front of Ref. Loop replay on Match of the Day, sequential photos in all the Sundays. Team coach speechless (if only!) in post-match interviews about non-event.

Bobby says,
People mention players like the great Sir Stanley Mathews. Well I’m sorry to say, but on his best day, he couldn’t live with the modern game. I’m not saying, if he was playing today he wouldn’t be a great player, because he probably would, its just that the game has moved into another gear, and today’s players are far more skilful and fitter than their predecessors. The finance is done off the pitch and what is left is 22 men giving us the best football we have ever seen.

I would to see the players of today play in the boots and shorts Stanley Mathews and the players of that era had, and not forgetting the ball, heavy as lead. Bend that ball if you can you buggers, and if you got kicked with those boots you would know about it. You wouldn't roll around like they do now, not with a broken leg anyway.

Hello Jack. Yes I agree with you, I played in those boots, and also had a bad cut on my forehead when going for a header, and made contact with the lace.

I think you missunderstand me, I am not trying to belittle the great players we once had, but the game has moved on. My point re Sir Stanley Mathews is that with the skills they possesed in the 1950's where nowhere near the skills required for the modern game. That is not to say that had Sir Stanley and many others been bought up with the modern game, they wouldn't have shined just as brightly as they did back in their day. The old game was great in its day, and I like nothing better than to watch some old footage, but as I said the game has moved on and it is less physical now but much more skilful. We also have more fouls in the modern game. The reason is as I see it, we have done away with the long ball game of passing to where your team mate may be after a run, and now most passes are made directly to feet, if you want to take the ball you have to get it from the feet, making contact more likely.

Yes unfortunately we do have the prima-donnas’ and the divers, but as a spectacle it is much better today than it has ever been

Today's soccer : it is only the very poor behaviour of players that masks just how appallingly bad the officials are. And that's just the ones who aren't helpfully 'manipulating' the game to assist the betting industry.

Those referees are so dishonest that they must be Tories to a man...

It's a wise man who knows precisely who is paying his wages.

Phil Hornby wrote:Today's soccer : it is only the very poor behaviour of players that masks just how appallingly bad the officials are. And that's just the ones who aren't helpfully 'manipulating' the game to assist the betting industry.

Those referees are so dishonest that they must be Tories to a man...

Ever refereed a football match? Have all your split second decisions in life been correct? Have you ever made a bad decision?

My answers. Yes. No. Yes. Yours?

Infantry, policemen, politicians, sewer-workers and Referees .................. whatever makes them want to do it?

oftenwrong wrote:Infantry, policemen, politicians, sewer-workers and Referees .................. whatever makes them want to do it?

All, with the exception of politicians, have useful skills. The infantry protect the country, Policemen protect themselves, sewer-workers protect rats and referees protect .... er.

trevorw2539 wrote:

Phil Hornby wrote:Today's soccer : it is only the very poor behaviour of players that masks just how appallingly bad the officials are. And that's just the ones who aren't helpfully 'manipulating' the game to assist the betting industry.

Those referees are so dishonest that they must be Tories to a man...

Ever refereed a football match? Have all your split second decisions in life been correct? Have you ever made a bad decision?

My answers. Yes. No. Yes. Yours?

And my answers are : Yes and still do ; No, but they are at least honest decisions and not suited to a particular outcome; Yes ( but see previous answer) and don't hide behind the oh-so-supportive FA Disciplinary Panel (aka 'The Awful Referees' Friend'). A bit less backchat laddie or it's the red card for you and first chance at the shower...

When Manchester Utd score four successive goals from penalties - two against Stoke, two against Chelsea (the last of which arose from a dive) - one begins to smell a rat! And why is Ferguson allowed to harangue and intimidate referees when they leave the pitch at half time?

Capello, or is that Crapello, as resigned has England manager, ello not to worry, he was crap anyway. Glad Harry was found innocent, and not sent to jail, he could be Englands next manager. We don't need an other excitable foreigner as manager, and i believe John Terry couldn't be Englands captain whiles there are so many black players in the team. Guilty or not guilty, bad feeling will remain till he has be tried by judge and jury. Not good for team moral, having a dodgy skipper, so, new manager and new skipper (captain), new beginings.

"... one begins to smell a rat..."

The rat is a large one - almost the size of a coypu, in fact! It could come as no surprise if we were to discover one day that betting interests have a very large say in the outcome of ( especially) Premier League matches. There is also the ever-present possibility that, to 'enhance' the product , the authorities are keen for there to be a few teams who are jousting for top spot , come season's end, rather than for a single side to be walking it. All that takes carefully planned results for the 'right' teams at the right time.

The performance, of referees in particular, lends suspicion that something is amiss - so many inconsistencies and blatant refusals to address the obvious, despite the usual tired pleas from those who like to parrot the 'everybody makes mistakes' excuse.

Soccer used to be a compelling sport to follow, but it has been ruined - maybe for ever - by badly-behaved and unsporting players and a bunch of 'unreliable' on-pitch officials, aided and abetted by a remarkably partisan group of adminstrators who support bad decisions without question.

Read a few autobiographies of 'top' referees ( inc 'three yellows and off' Graham Poll)and one can see that they have no reluctance in telling us all just how good they are and that the game's malaise is everyone else's fault.

Once upon a time good -natured football fans used to shout (eg) " Where's yer glasses ref..?!". Now it's more likely to be " Cheat; cheat; cheat...! ". And who can blame them...?

Not long ago many people were alleging bias, corruption and self-interest against Football's governing body, FIFA.

How fortunate we are that the Football Association is so different.