Today’s eight goal contest between Chelsea and Arsenal showed London football at its most entertaining. But can London cash in on its position as a world city to also establish itself as the football capital of England?
Conventional wisdom sees this year’s title race as a contest between the two Manchester clubs with Chelsea in the frame. Between 2002 and 2006 Chelsea and Arsenal claimed four out of five Premier League titles between them, but once Manchester United emerged out of a period of rebuilding and transition, the picture changed.
Today’s eight goal contest between Chelsea and Arsenal showed London football at its most entertaining. But can London cash in on its position as a world city to also establish itself as the football capital of England?
Conventional wisdom sees this year’s title race as a contest between the two Manchester clubs with Chelsea in the frame. Between 2002 and 2006 Chelsea and Arsenal claimed four out of five Premier League titles between them, but once Manchester United emerged out of a period of rebuilding and transition, the picture changed.
In their 2009 book Soccernomics Simon Kuper and Stefan Szymanski concluded that, after decades of domination by large provincial cities (Liverpool, Manchester, Munich, Milan, Porto, Turin) European football was about to enter a period where London emerged as the true stronghold of the English game.
Billionaires are attracted to the capital’s football clubs. Only this week Stan Kroenke said how much his family loved London. But the power shift has not occurred, although it may do yet.
One point to be borne in mind is just how many clubs London has, five in the Premiership, a number that could go back up to six next year if West Ham are promoted or even seven if Crystal Palace go up (which would provide a club south of the river). The energy and the resources are dissipated whereas provincial cities have at most two clubs.
Perhaps there are deeper factors at work. In his book London Fields, Charlie Connely writes, ‘I’d set out to find whether there was a football spirit unique to the metropolis, a binding ethos that drew together fans and players from all levels and walks of life who are based in the capital. Pretty early I concluded there isn’t such a thing.’
So perhaps one can’t read off football success for London clubs from the capital’s economic weight.