The Rich Runners up League

Forum is the place to post arguments about everything from the state of Becks' big toe to the future of the Marxian dialectic via what you like about Philosophy Football T-shirts. Every now and then we'll start a new argument going.

 

Another season over and the lockjaw with which the Premiership is afflicted continues. The top four appear almost impregnable, certainly the top two, and as the money flows are determined largely by Champions League there is no immediate end in sight to this. And the same disease affects the cup competitions with both finals contested by top four clubs. Relegation saw two out of the three promoted clubs going back down - of course West Ham should have been docked pints which would have changed this but what's £5.5 million between friends! And coming up we now know are three clubs which have been in the Premiership in recent years.

Bright sparks? Reading most definitely. Harry's kept Portsmouth in the frame, and a handful of results either way might have seen Spurs break up the top four monopoly at the expense of North London rivals Arsenal. But that's about it for excitement in the so-called best League in the World.

Around Europe whilst the Champions League and associated wealth continues to encourage similarly static leagues there does at least seem to be some movement. Stuttgart and Schalke finishing first and second in the German Bundesliga is a bit like Villa and Newcastle taking the Premiership's top two spots.

There's no obvious short term disaffection caused by our incredibly static top division but the lack of competition is not something that is likely to inspire long term loyalty and affection. Could it change? Fergie has to retire sometime and United could face a succession crisis similar to post Busby. Abramovitch's relationship to the club is purely financial and should his interest wane freefall would surely follow. Arsenal have a costly new stadium to pay for, another trophy-less season would surely put pressure on whatever financial reserves remain. Of the top four LIverpool appear the most secure with the new US investors adding significantly to the transfer budget available.

So change is possible but not much while the Champions League remains. The Bundesliga shake-up this season remains the exception. Under the old-style knock out competitions for the European Cup, UEFA Cup and the sorely missed Cup Winners Cup qualifying places were fewer and there with a tough draw the top cluvbs could still face an early exit. This ensured much mnore egalitarian domestic leagues as opposed to the rich always getting richer set-up we're saddled with now.

Champions League? You're having a larf, a rich runners-up competition is the more apt label.