Prem getting better or worse?

[Nicodemus145]

Hey kids,
I got turned onto this thing after the 2002 world cup, and I started watching EPL around the time Rooney nailed the shot heard round the world. I was fortunate enough to see Becks before he left, saw Owen walk into a game with 98 goals and leave with 102, watched Ruud score 40 goals a season, and now am watching an unbeaten run that might not be matched in a hundred years, by a team some say is the greatest in English history.

But now it seems that everybody I had hoped to see after that world cup are over the hill or gone or left internationals. Rivaldo, Cantona, Figo, Zidane, Ronaldo, Keane, Keane, Shearer, Scholes, Giggs, Sir Alex, Sir Bobby... and now Owen and Beckham have gone to the greatest of soccer retirement communities as well (and i hear they're past their prime).

So do you think I hit this soccer thing at the right time, or did I miss the good days? Because it seems the generation that I had heard about is starting to wrap it up and leave room for the gerrards and wright-phillips's out there.

[BloodFeast]

But now it seems that everybody I had hoped to see after that world cup are over the hill or gone or left internationals. Rivaldo, Cantona, Figo, Zidane, Ronaldo, Keane, Keane, Shearer, Scholes, Giggs, Sir Alex, Sir Bobby... and now Owen and Beckham have gone to the greatest of soccer retirement communities as well (and i hear they're past their prime).

So do you think I hit this soccer thing at the right time, or did I miss the good days? Because it seems the generation that I had heard about is starting to wrap it up and leave room for the gerrards and wright-phillips's out there.

Anytime is the right time to get into soccer. I think that there are always going to be exciting players around to watch. There will never be a shortage of talent because too many countries produce quality players. That well (or those wells) won't just suddenly run dry. New, exciting players will replace the aging superstars just like they always have and always will.

Also, I don't really think all the players you mentioned are finished (c'mon, Robbie Keane's just getting started). And Cantona retired like 5 years before WC 02. It's time to get over him.

So I say just keep watching, and talent will inevitably appear.

[Val1]

Your question is whether soccer is getting better or worse, yet your title asks whether the Premiership is getting better or worse. Two different questions.

I'll stick with the soccer.... Is one generation of players aging and retiring? Well, yes it is. Is there going to be another generation of players to come along and replace them? Yes. Will that group of new players grab you? I would think so, just because it easier to see more games now than 5, 10 and 30 years ago. When I started watching soccer in England, there was one game a week televised. One. For the 74 World Cup, just two cycles after England won the 66 WC, I think I caught 6 games. Two years ago, I watched 45 games. You'll have to work at this, but if you have Fox Sports World (at the very least) you'll probably get to see Wright-Phillips three times this year. How many times did you see Cantona? I've never seen him play a league game... Plus, when the WC rolls around you'll have the thrill of seeing huge number of players come from nowhere and stun you with their virtouosity: whether it is Hassan Sas or Diouf or Sukor or the entire Korean team, you'll have plenty to thrill at (and forget Spanish and the Portugese, they'll break your heart). Or, watch Arsenal, they'll take your breath away.

Now, as to whether the Premiership is better. It has become a league of haves and have-nots. I'm an Arsenal fan, so it's been good years for a while, but the league seems a bit stale. Yeah, there are heartwarming stories, Charlton did very well last year, Bolton and Boro look much better this year, but with Arsenal coming so fast out of the gate (they might have stumbled, what with Vieira and Cambell missing time) it looks like this is going to be a two horse race before Man Utd gets back to full strength. I don't like that. When I started watching soccer, the 1st Division was won by Leeds, Derby and QPR in successive years. Hard to imagine that happening anymore. I miss that openness. But if you are a casual fan of the Premiership, you will see the world's best play day-in and day-out. I do believe it is the best league in the world, so that should quicken your heart...

[therealronaldo7]

I will answer the question posted in the thread and say without a doubt that the EPL is getting much, much better. The EPL is seemingly the destination for a lot of the best players out there right now. The EPL is full of international stars. Not just the big clubs like Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal, but even the smaller ones like Fulham, West Brom and Bolton have some high quality international players on their rosters. While it is true that many of the legends of the 90's are getting older and leaving the league, that does not mean that young players like Rooney, Ronaldo, Fabregas and Jermain Defoe cannot carry on the torch set. I think the EPL is better than ever and I also think it is only going to get better.

[Powdered Water]

Another thing though is that different parts of the world have somewhat different styles, so it's probably not so easy to conclude relatively if one is getting better or worse. Sure some good players have left as some pointed out, but that in itself doesn't necessarily say much about the relativity of leagues.
If within the english prem, I think it's gotten better. It's more and more focussed on talent now, wherever they're from.

[SirManchester]

Better!

[JonnyF365]

It's a merry-go-round that's been going for over a hundred years. Things change from time to time, In the 80's we saw a few English players try out playing on the continent but it never harmed us. I think most of us would like to see our players in other countries as we've had a few years of foreigners playing here and it's a good return, It certainly won't be to the detriment of football in Europe. You ain't chosen a bad time at all to get into this game of ours, And even better you've joined just as the best team in the world are about to dominate!! UP THE GUNNERS!!

[dienasty]

the game is just getting faster and more speed and skill based. its an exciting change as you see more physically able players begin to dominate the landscape. you see less and less of systematic, slow play and alot more speed and counterattack type play. i dont know, soccer is a really simple game: to put the ball in the net but at times it can be very complex, i learn something new about the game every day and I am only 16 right now so I have alot to learn but i just really got into the sport about a year ago and it is the most purest, best, beautiful sport ever to be played and I love it. sorry for my rant. but anyways yah soccer is getting better every day.

[JonnyF365]

Who do you follow dienasty?

[dienasty]

My favorite is Roma, MLS of course to support our domestic league and Norwich, Werder Bremen, Villereal all my fav teams.

[JonnyF365]

Was at Norwich last week watching the Arsenal game, Always had a soft spot for them.

[dienasty]

Definitely me too! I wanna get over to europe to see some games but Im not too sure about tix. I think Norwich have a good chance of staying up. They are looking pretty good and willing to take the necessary risks to stay in.

[JonnyF365]

Well, if they stay up you shouldn't have a problem getting tickets for games, I'm not sure but I don't think they sell out all the time. I'll be watchin them later today against the Scum so hopefully Bentley will do the biz.

[Powdered Water]

the game is just getting faster and more speed and skill based. its an exciting change as you see more physically able players begin to dominate the landscape.

We have more skilled players for sure, but I'm not sure if that really correlates to the 'speed' as you put it. If anything, I think we're a league that predominantly relies on physical power and speed, instead of technique and skill. If you look at other countries, they tend to be somewhat less physical but more accute in tactics and slower speed that allows more individual technical expression.

That said, as "football" would have it, I still think prem side is far better than it was and continues to get better due to its diversity. Its physical side has gotten so extreme that a lot of foreign players tend to struggle to get used to the pace of it. So in that sense without doubt it is a harder league now.