You know what, a lot of what you say is fair. Especially regarding shoeing friendlies into an already hectic schedule. But ... A random game in the middle of a season of 19 games home and away unbalances the fixture list. It cannot be fair to everyone, this is fundamental. If the gap between relegation, qualifying for Europe, Champions League or the title was ever a margin of more than 3 points then fine, but it's not. Sorry if you feel we're aiming it at the American fans. I am definitely not, and I don't believe many more are, you're just the ones expressing your views so you're getting the responses. These fixtures will be played worldwide after all, not just in America. Although hasn't your League said they will take a lot of convincing to endorse this, so it might not be an issue for you? Unfortunately, and this is not predjudicial or discriminatory, the simple fact is that this is the English Premier League. Sorry if that offends you. Some of the owners and many of the players are not English, that's undeniable, but the vast majority of fans who have invested vast amounts of cash and time in following their clubs are English. And to be honest many of us would welcome taking a backward step financially to rid ourselves of the corporate influence. Consideration for the match going fan has been gradually eroded since the Premier League started, there is no doubt of that. Unfortunately the Premier League is more interested in appealing to armchair fans' cash, it believes it has our undying loyalty whatever. Again, we've invested much more in our clubs than anyone else in the World, we would simply appreciate some consideration, to be treated with a bit of respect by the clubs we have made what they are. I understand why you would want this change, but please appreciate our point of view. It is actually our league, like it or not, as someone who has spent thousands over the years I believe I have a stake in my club and the league. As the owners are entitled to exercise their legal rights we have also earned the entitlement to show our disaproval. It's not personal, it's just the desire to see the league and clubs we love remain something with which we can identify. We are very passionate about it, which again has helped to make the Premier League the spectacle people tune in to watch. We do have a stake in our clubs, they were initially created to represent their communities, believe it or not, not just brands. This is not an arguement against any of you, it's against our League.
I hear you mate, good points all. When I started following the Premier league about 10 years ago, it was virtually unknown here except among the ex-pat crowd. With the expansion of satellite tv it's grown exponentially, whether that's good or bad, I don't know, but I"m glad I get to see games on tv. It's the best league in the world. I've tried to like the MLS but it's just not my cup of tea, maybe it will get better in the coming years. I've seen a good number of Premier league games at grounds all over England, and I have a great passion for the tradition. In fact, I'll be in London next week and I'm sure I'll get out for a game--probably the West Ham/Fulham game because of ticket availability and the fact I'm going to be in London.
Damn, I was half looking forward to an arguement there Cheers for the decent reply. I'm glad you enjoy the League and it's good that you can get over to see some games. I hope it's a good one for you. If there's a way the Premier League can play a one off round of fixtures where teams have to play a good percentage of first team players, maybe at the end of the season. Give the games some some meaningful reward, possibly something that can be taken over into the next season, then I'm up for any of that. But they need to leave our League itself alone before they change it beyond all recognition.
Ha! Sorry plastics, just deal with your preseason games. And, maybe, you'll start supporting your local clubs a little more and be proud of your little leagues. And, maybe, they'll one day rise up and be able to compete with the likes of the Premier League. That's the whole basis of the sport in the first place: Preventing the likes of the big Euro clubs from becoming the NFL.
Whoa...don't get it twisted, I'm over the moon that they did so. I couldn't be happier about this - not only did their proposed plan ruin the integrity of the EPL competition, it just discarded the appeal of national leagues. I've said it before, at this rate half the EPL teams will be in ********ing Saudi Arabia and the other half in the Arctic. This is easily the smarter most popular decision Sepp Blatter has ever or will ever make in his life.
hi , i am not English but i love EPL and i have big respect for English football overall , including championship. That said i am against idea of coming here to North America . It would have negative impact on MLS and other regional leagues here on continent. Thats last thing MLS needs at the moment. By the way i wonder if FA would ever allow MLS to come to English soil and play games in England?....i dont think so!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Even Stepp Blater , FIFA president said today that while he is in charge of FIFA he wouldnt let FA do it. He even said that in case FA decide to go abroad he will do everything in his power to knock England out of contention for hosting WC 2118
It's good that this has been decided not to be done having P.L. games abroad. I have never in my life supported a team, which I wasn't related too. If I'm a fan of something I want to be in the stadium and watching my team, and not follow it in the net. This is not football. It mite be a rude comparison, but it's like saying Jenna Jameson is my girlfriend although I never went out with her Anyway, if the bundesliga were doing this I would just start following a team a class below. I watch the P.L. on T.V. everyweek (seen as I in uk), but I havn't supported any team because it is far too expensive to watch in the stadium. But seriously there is something wrong with the premiership in today as it is. There are far too many foreign players in the league and that's not good for English football. This gives little chance for english players to develope their football skills, and gives the England boss little possibility to choose from P.L. Talking about 64% are foreign, whereas in other european leagues the opposite can be seen. IMO people are becoming a bit blind in thinking it's always the coaches fault if England fail or it's the players that are too arrogant. It's not that English football is shite, it's because the big teams would rather buy a good foreigner than harvest any of their own talent. But in the end of the day, criticism can't given to something that should be perfect I hope Sepp Blatter stresses this point too.
What makes me laugh is that while the FA are so desperate to get the 2018 world cup, they never miss an opportunity to piss off FIFA. Welcome to the Benelux world cup in 2018!
To be fair, the FA and the Premier League are two sperate bodies ... but yeah, the FA should have slapped down the Premier League straight away.
I think it was the sheer stupidity of every facet of the idea. And trust you me, for Sepp Blatter, one of the dumbest men in the world, to call something stupid, takes some doing.
Gandalf, you're a troll. I have better things to do in life, than to do the research for the junk you write in this forum.
this appears to suggest otherwise. http://www.soccerhall.org/history/HistoryofFIFA.htm Nor does this http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/affederation/administration/2006_fifa_ar_en_1766.pdf see p19 But you've declared it a fact, so it must be true. As Neil Fox once sternly read out on Brasseye "Paedophiles have more genes in common with crabs than humans. That is scientific fact. There is no real evidence for it, but it's scientific fact."