This article offers a relatively standard if fully developed critique of the Premier League, while offering space to a couple of dissenting voices such as Dan Jones from Deloitte. What articles of this kind really never discuss is how many fans put country before club. Would Manchester United, Chelsea or Arsenal fans want to see their chances of winning the Premiership or the Champions League diminished?
This article offers a relatively standard if fully developed critique of the Premier League, while offering space to a couple of dissenting voices such as Dan Jones from Deloitte. What articles of this kind really never discuss is how many fans put country before club. Would Manchester United, Chelsea or Arsenal fans want to see their chances of winning the Premiership or the Champions League diminished?
The article points out that Premier League clubs did not progress beyond the quarter finals in last year’s Champions League competition. However, one cannot draw general lessons from the experience of one season.
Certainly, Uefa limitations on spending present a medium-term threat to the Premier League, but not one that would destroy the format altogether. Its success is founded on television revenues, of which overseas rights form an increasingly important part. The Premier League may decide that the way ahead is to reduce the number of clubs to 18 and restrict promotion and relegation to two a year.
Some of the criticisms made of the Premier League seem to reflect an English dislike of success. However, the volume of criticism is growing and the Premiership has to be careful it doesn’t lose the argument.