SouthBlue wrote: Thu Aug 13, 2026 8:31 pm
Regardless of what you think of Leicester, does anybody else find it a bit depressing that a team that achieved one of the most unlikely, fairytale triumphs - anywhere - in football history in winning the premier league only 10 years ago (plus an FA cup 5 years ago) has fallen into such disrepair?
I mean I'm sure a lot will go "nah, it's funny", but football's all about dreaming and yet so often when anybody outside it threatens to break up the dominance of the top six, by winning an unexpected trophy, there seems to be an immediate penalty in the seasons to follow - talent plucked, remaining squad overstretched by extra European commitments etc. - always leading to struggle and relegation battles.
The 'Empire' always strikes back, and while the first step of success, winning a trophy, seems hard enough, the second step of using it as a platform to win more and become one of the big boys actually seems impossible.
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Great post.
The game, competition, is being taken away from real fans.
The plastic bullshit excesses of consumerism, politics and commercialisation are killing the game, both in England and internationally.
The longevity of football's life cycle has been shortened considerably. The tail is being trimmed.
Any team outside of the “big six” who does well just has their best players taken away from them, or they need to be sold to comply with financial regulations. They then have to replace them with unknowns who they hope will come good or players who aren’t as good as the player(s) who were cherry picked. It can all go wrong very quickly when things don’t work out.
It’s virtually impossible for any team outside of the big six to replace one of them on a consistent basis.
SouthBlue wrote: Thu Aug 13, 2026 8:31 pm
Regardless of what you think of Leicester, does anybody else find it a bit depressing that a team that achieved one of the most unlikely, fairytale triumphs - anywhere - in football history in winning the premier league only 10 years ago (plus an FA cup 5 years ago) has fallen into such disrepair?
I mean I'm sure a lot will go "nah, it's funny", but football's all about dreaming and yet so often when anybody outside it threatens to break up the dominance of the top six, by winning an unexpected trophy, there seems to be an immediate penalty in the seasons to follow - talent plucked, remaining squad overstretched by extra European commitments etc. - always leading to struggle and relegation battles.
The 'Empire' always strikes back, and while the first step of success, winning a trophy, seems hard enough, the second step of using it as a platform to win more and become one of the big boys actually seems impossible.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
It showed its absolutely impossible to break in and stay in the top few. They won the league and then lost their 2 best players. Their best 1 going to the team that finished 11th
SouthBlue wrote: Thu Aug 13, 2026 8:31 pm
Regardless of what you think of Leicester, does anybody else find it a bit depressing that a team that achieved one of the most unlikely, fairytale triumphs - anywhere - in football history in winning the premier league only 10 years ago (plus an FA cup 5 years ago) has fallen into such disrepair?
I mean I'm sure a lot will go "nah, it's funny", but football's all about dreaming and yet so often when anybody outside it threatens to break up the dominance of the top six, by winning an unexpected trophy, there seems to be an immediate penalty in the seasons to follow - talent plucked, remaining squad overstretched by extra European commitments etc. - always leading to struggle and relegation battles.
The 'Empire' always strikes back, and while the first step of success, winning a trophy, seems hard enough, the second step of using it as a platform to win more and become one of the big boys actually seems impossible.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Yeah I definitely agree here. I'm relieved it was them not us though, as if we'd gone down the year we did it's have been every bit as bad for us.
The whole CSR rule of 85% of income dropping to 75% if you're on Europe is just further screwing over any team that dares challenge the elite. Using success as a platform isn't a thing anymore, in fact success as you pointed out is usually the start of a downturn on fortune.
Cods wrote: Fri Aug 14, 2026 9:25 pm
Dear Andy, (Burnham, not Ajax)
After organising a right back can you please nationalise the Premier League.
Thanks
Could incorporate a more credible structure to spread the game more evenly and open access more equitably to children wishing to play. One professional team per City, randomly allocated using alphabetical order with just the first selected, and subsequent ones liquidated and used as youth training facilities for that city's principle club...
Could have legs this
*We'd obviously have an alternative system for Birmingham where the alphabetical order applied to club's principal home colours rather than club name but other than that...
In a world full of adversity, we must still dare to dream.
CannockPricey wrote: Sun Aug 16, 2026 8:07 am
Could incorporate a more credible structure to spread the game more evenly and open access more equitably to children wishing to play. One professional team per City, randomly allocated using alphabetical order with just the first selected, and subsequent ones liquidated and used as youth training facilities for that city's principle club...
Could have legs this
*We'd obviously have an alternative system for Birmingham where the alphabetical order applied to club's principal home colours rather than club name but other than that...
Haha as I was reading this I saw one major flaw in your plan until reading the last sentence. Okay I'm in, although would be great to randomise it so that Birmingham City gets liquidated in favour of West Brom, too.
CannockPricey wrote: Sun Aug 16, 2026 8:07 am
Could incorporate a more credible structure to spread the game more evenly and open access more equitably to children wishing to play. One professional team per City, randomly allocated using alphabetical order with just the first selected, and subsequent ones liquidated and used as youth training facilities for that city's principle club...
Could have legs this
*We'd obviously have an alternative system for Birmingham where the alphabetical order applied to club's principal home colours rather than club name but other than that...
