Horrid defending is entertainment too. The Dutch league focuses on attacking football. Attacking football, proper wing play, sell-out crowds, fanatical support, very tight games with totally unpredictable outcomes, the Dutch league has plenty to offer. And tactically the Dutch league is world class (but I guess that doesn't draw in the Anglo-football cloud hehehe) I would brand the Dutch league as 'see where the stars of the future play now' or similar.
If it didn't, TV channels wouldn't be interviewing coaches after matches or creating content around manager press conferences. The EPL wouldn't be, BY FAR, the most popular league in the Anglosphere. The Eredivisie is unique among continental leagues in being able to offer English content worldwide that isn't dubbed. That isn't going to make it surpass Spain or Italy but by Jove it could at least surpass the F*****g Scots or Portuguese. - Parity between clubs (traditional big three, but Twente aren't going anywhere and neither are AZ for the time being, plus Heerenveen - a six team title race, yowza!) - Attacking football - Lots of goals (who cares about defending in the anglosphere? Have you seen how much people hate Italian football? People aren't connoisseurs, especially Anglos who have all been influenced by the tactical 'tard farm that is English soccer) - Unparalleled youth development - Ability of stars and coaches to generate publicity in English - Great atmosphere That's something you can build on.
Well now we know why you need English content. Your knowledge of the Dutch league isn't exactly up to date. The Dutch league has been won by four different clubs in the past five years, including twice by non traditional big three clubs. The reason why it's this exciting and this close at the top is because the traditional big three is at a standstill while the rest is closing in quickly, financially. And closing in financially in football, we all know what that means, at least I hope you know what means. Do let me know if you need me to explain that your 'Twente isn't going anywhere' comment is wrong, I'll gladly oblige. I'll even explain it in English!
I could be wrong...but I think he means even though Twente is not part of the "traditional top 3", they aren't going anywhere. As in Twente is highly competitive, aka one of the top 6 clubs still competing for the title this year. I think it was a gesture of respect, a "big up" as you call it.
So you're hoping for a Champion's party to celebrate that decade, that accidentally can coincide with Zaandam's bicentennial celebration of the granting of City Privileges this year. In that case are you coming over to Alkmaar??
I've been very seriously thinking about it thanks to Az surprising the way they have If AZ got to the Euro final, I would have started there but Romania is not a place I want to visit ever--chances are I'd go to a bar in Alkmaar or Amsterdam and watch it there Last time-2009 when AZ won, I got to Alkmaar--could not get a ticket anywhere for their last game against Heerenveen and ended up watching it at a bar in "downtown" Alkmaar--as i mentioned at the time--hoping for a party or riot after the game-----but I missed it by 2 weeks It's just too tough to get any tickets to a game--especially if they are still in contention the last week I've been to Holland for 5 straight years now--great place to visit but perhaps I should expand my horizons occasionally
The Spanish minister of Finance who had the audacity to propose to nullifye the tax debts to the treasury of the Spanish clubs made a hasty U-turn after an uproar in the European parlement about European tax payers paying the high salaries of the stars in La Liga. We should throw him before the bulls in Pamplona.
This is how Portuguese club U.Leiria started the game. After 5 months of no payment the rest of the team decided not to play any longer.
Outstanding piece by our friend The Swiss Ramble on the debt at Madrid and Barcelona. It's easy to understand and quite instructive.
In an addition about what I reported earlier about the Spanish U turn, I can report that the outrage in the EP has lead to forcing of the Spanish clubs to spend about 300 millon of their international TV rights income (about 1 billion?) on paying of their taxes. But I have no source any more, so I cannot be sure that it really is going to happen. But it seems great to me that that idiotic move of that Spanish Fin. Minister has lead to this busting up of these beasts of burden.
No real surprises about the EPL. If you reduced the television money by 1/2 you would see 3/4 of the teams entering financial administration (bankruptcy).
I can't believe that Fox Soccer Channel is showing Scottish League matches this season and they aren't just showing the usual 2 big clubs. I swear if the Eredivisie was consistently like this year with so many clubs fighting it out for the top of the league and the Europe positions in the table playing the style that so many Dutch clubs play, it sure would be nice if one or two matches were put on either Fox soccer channel or Fox soccer plus. We get the one match a week on the Spanish ESPN Deportes. I am glad for that but it would be nice to get at least one more match.
Here's The Swiss Ramble's analysis of the current financial situation in Milan. They are really getting caught in a crunch!
I must have screwed up inserting the link: http://swissramble.blogspot.com/2012/05/milan-warning-signs.html Extremely good read and points out that problem that a lot of big clubs may be facing.