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I don't doubt the value of their own academy players, Paul. The same can and is often said of Arsenal.
However the latest rich list for 2011 lists Barcelona No 5 in the world and Arsenal No 3. Even with world-class home-bred players a club now needs to be 'filthy-rich' in order to keep them.
Even big clubs like Celtic who play in front of around 60,000 at every home game and have a huge support worldwide cannot hold onto their good players or attract the very best because they play in a small league with little television money. The same is true of the big clubs in other leagues such as Portugal and Holland.
Excuse the the pun but football is no longer a level playing-field. It was always the case that big clubs had more money than their smaller counterparts but now money is everything.
The so-called 'Champions' League' is now a total misnomer with four clubs from England qualifying automatically for the competition proper while the actual champions from small countries like Scotland now have to go through a preliminary stage in order to qualify at all.
Man City are only in the 'Champions League' next season because foreign money has propelled them to fourth in the English Premiership. Arguably, they were much more likely to be candidates for relegation otherwise ... with due apologies to any Man City fans on this forum.
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"Och Morag, do you not find these grapes that Mr Celt brought the other evening to be just a tad soooor?"Originally posted by scottycelt View Post
Man City are only in the 'Champions League' next season because foreign money has propelled them to fourth in the English Premiership. Arguably, they were much more likely to be candidates for relegation otherwise ... with due apologies to any Man City fans on this forum.
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Amateur ... have you found yourself a nice, well-bred girlfriend at long last ..? :cool2:Comment
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Scotty, ma wee Hieland lambkin, I do not speak with a Morningside accent, as a matter of actual faaaactOriginally posted by scottycelt View Post
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I think you hit the nail on the head- Scotland is a small country. The competition to reach the top of the league is therefore much less intense, so- sorry to say it- but finishing top in Scotland is not equivalent to success in the English premiership.he so-called 'Champions' League' is now a total misnomer with four clubs from England qualifying automatically for the competition proper while the actual champions from small countries like Scotland now have to go through a preliminary stage in order to qualify at all.
Man City are only in the 'Champions League' next season because foreign money has propelled them to fourth in the English Premiership. Arguably, they were much more likely to be candidates for relegation otherwise ... with due apologies to any Man City fans on this forum
And as for the Light Blues- that's the nature of the game these days; you'd hardly expect City to turn down the investment would you? Personally, I think it's great that their long-suffering supporters finally have something to celebrate.
Onwards and upwards!
And I'd love to see them knock Man Utd off their perch at the top of the Premiership next season.
Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.
Mark Twain.Comment
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Shall I hold your coat scotty, while you show the blethering English bampot what's what?!Originally posted by Mr Pee View Post
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That may well be true (solely because of money), but then the 'Champions League' is therefore a total nonsense and farce. When were Man City ever Premiership 'Champions' ?The competition to reach the top of the league is therefore much less intense, so- sorry to say it- but finishing top in Scotland is not equivalent to success in the English premiership.
Let's just re-name it the European Moneybags' League and be done with it ...
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Certainly not, I know all about coat-thieving Welsh windbags, amateur ...Shall I hold your coat scotty, while you show the blethering English bampot what's what?
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Excuse me, when did the Welsh ever have anything to do with footie, apart from Ryan Giggs?Originally posted by scottycelt View PostCertainly not, I know all about coat-thieving Welsh windbags, amateur ...Comment
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1968, though it wasn't called the Premiership then. But I remember it well. And in the following season, both Manchester clubs were in the European Cup, as United had just won it.Originally posted by scottycelt View PostComment
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And the year before in 1967, Celtic became the first Northern European team (oh yes, even before the English, German and Dutch or any other non-Latin nation) to win the European Cup, and what's more with eleven local lads ... ah, those were the days, indeed! ...1968, though it wasn't called the Premiership then. But I remember it well. And in the following season, both Manchester clubs were in the European Cup, as United had just won it.
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Good point, Anna!Excuse me, when did the Welsh ever have anything to do with footie, apart from Ryan Giggs?
Mind you, in recent years ... oh never mind, amateur51 might be listening ...
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alas West Ham are relegated .... two from four next Sunday ... very narrow distribution of points between top and bottom this season, much more competitive league, might argue that football has some influence not just £ [big as that is]According to the best estimates of astronomers there are at least one hundred billion galaxies in the observable universe.Comment
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Well Anna's too young to know about this, but scotty ... I'm ashamed of youOriginally posted by scottycelt View PostGood point, Anna!
Mind you, in recent years ... oh never mind, amateur51 might be listening ...
From wikipedia ( it's free scotty)
"Charles' accomplishments with Juventus led to him being voted 'the greatest foreign player ever in Serie A', ahead of Maradona, Michel Platini, Marco Van Basten and Zinedine Zidane – this in 1997, 34 years after his last appearance in the league. In 2001 he became the first non-Italian inducted to the Azzurri Hall of Fame"
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