The EPL doesn't dominate the CL like Mexico dominates the CONCACAF CL, partly because there are 4-5 leagues with clubs realistically competing for the top continental trophy rather than 2. But no one ever claimed that the EPL was as dominant in Europe as Mexico is here; the claim was that the Premier League is inarguably the best league in the world, and at the moment, yeah that seems consistent with all the multi-season data to me.
The "which" doesn't matter so much as "how many" years you choose to include. So for instance, England has consistently been the top ranked league by UEFA using their official ranking methodology for a number of years now (2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024). But they do use 5 years worth of results to come up with that ranking. If you're disagreeing with their choice to use 5 years of data, I can tell you that England still comes out on top consistently during that period (and earlier) if you use 3 years of data instead of 5. That is to say, any consecutive 3 year period you look at from 2017 to today still has England coming out on top based on UEFA coefficients. It's only when you get down to 2 seasons worth of data where you find any variation there. If you object to using UEFA's ranking system, pretty much every other ranking system I've found based on multiple years worth of data similarly has the EPL on top. For instance, Opta uses an Elo-based system to rate and rank clubs. While it also incorporates years of data, the results from each of the past 5 years will not be weighted equally the way they are in UEFA's system. But even then, the EPL still comes out top in the league rankings they've constructed based on those club rankings, at least as of their post on this 2 months ago. (One ranking was based on the average ratings of the clubs in each league, while another was based on the average rating of the top 10 clubs in each league, and in each system the EPL is currently on top.)
Yes when you include more recent years. Obviously the EPL wasn’t always the best league so there’s a point of demarcation when the data wouldn’t show them on top. Data aside is also a widely held perception, including by players. And there’s definitely an attraction to the idea of playing in what is perceived to be the best league in the world (the same way in college football SEC teams pitch players on the ability to play in what’s widely perceived to be the best conference). A team like Real Madrid has its own mystique/allure but most players and certainly not Mark McKenzie have a Real Madrid to choose from.
no EPL team even made the semi's of the CL this year. You are entitled to believe what you believe but I was just trying to register that not everyone agrees. (I also want to note that I took this position before EPL teams crapped out of the CL).
Again you’re taking the results of a single year and extrapolating out when there’s significantly more data to go on. Versus going off a single game where Man City outplayed Madrid but was unlucky to not get a result for instance. Knockout tournaments are always going to have a ton of variance in any single year, which is why you want to look at a longer range of time than just this season. And it is very much widely accepted that the EPL is the best league in the world. No one seriously asserts otherwise.
Genk down 0-1 in the 60'. If Genk fails to qualify for European Competition that might be the reason for McKenzie's departure.
Genk lost 0-1. Gent goes to Europe. McKenzie will hop on a plane to fly to the US for the friendlies.
A summarized article behind a paywall is Google Translated here. Simply put, McKenzie is in the last year of his contract. He has told Genk that he will not resign. I would imagine that he will be on the move this summer. Genk will want to get as much as they can for him.
Smart move all around for everybody. Mark needs to move up a level and his club need to sell him to make a profit. I hope a decent step up is in the cards.
He has been struggling all season, hasnt showed he is ready for a team better than Genk. btw Unless he goes to a top-3 team in those countries it is not a step up.Teams between 4-8 in Belgium score a lot more points in the European coefficient list. The Belgian league is more stronger in depth.
The almost title winning season, McKenzie was much better. This past season he would be good one match, great the next then have two or three blah matches. He has the ability, his speed and positioning is very impressive, but it seemed like he was over Genk. It will be very interesting to see where he ends up.
I do not think anything official will come out until after the Copa America is over, but McKenzie sure looks to be on the way out. Genk will sign on Monday and Tuesday two defenders. One 20 and the other 19.
I don't recall him costing that much but if so, impressive. He's ready for a top 5 league imo although a move to France or Portugal might be ideal.
Ligue 1 clubs outside of PSG will be hard pressed to do any business until the league finds and signs a domestic / international TV rights partner. Not having a TV deal in place is going to severely put a dent in their league’s transfer business.
Depends on your definition. * If you define it by top clubs, considering no English clubs made any European finals, I find it hard to believe. * If you define it by strength top to bottom, that is hard to measure. #1 City made it to Champions QF and so did #2 Arsenal. #3 United and #4 Newcastle finished last in their groups though. #5 Liverpool made QF in the Europa, while #6 Brighton fell on the R16. #14 West Ham (qualified by winning the Conference) made the QF and is the strongest evidence for EPL supremacy top-to-bottom. #7 Villa made it to the semis in the Conference. By comparison, La Liga #1 Barcelona and #3 Atletico made QF in the Champions, #2 Real won it. #4 Sociedad lost in the R16. Up to there, a lot better than the EPL. #5 Villarreal made it to the R16 in the Europa, while #6 Betis finished 3rd in their group and lost in the playoff to enter the Conference R16. #7 Osasuna didn't even manage to make the group stage, losing in the play-off to enter the Conference proper. So the Top 4 in Spain proved stronger than the Top 4 in England, but from there on the EPL clubs did better. * If you define it by value, then the EPL is #1 by far and it's been so for the last 18 years or so. * If you define it by the average quality of the games, that is quite subjective. Personally, I despise the way the bottom half of the EPL plays. But I prefer a more technical approach to the game, reason why I follow Serie A and La Liga more closely than the English game.
If only there were a place where people could post regarding the relative strength of different leagues...
I am not sure if he is even in camp, but he did not play either half in today's friendly vs Charleroi.