Premier League the best league in the world?

gormdubhgorm

Do people actually believe this? It is constantly peddled on Sky and the English channels.
The latest unpredictability of this years league is now being turned into a positive saying this is why the Premier League is the best league in the world!

Are they getting the word "exciting" confused with "best"?

If the premier league is the best league in the world how come this is not proven in Europe?
Since 1999
Chelsea won a Europa League (injury time goal against Benfica) and shock penalty shootout win (against Bayern Munich) in the CL .
Manchester united were extremely fortunate to win the European Cup both on a pen shootout (Chelsea) and last minute goals (Bayern Munich).
Liverpool won a game in 2005 from 3 goals down (AC Milan) by some miracle. At the start of the tournament they were complete outsiders.

Where does this best league in the world idea come from?
If it is the best league in the world shouldn't the best teams be major forces in Europe and not having to get by with fortunate wins?

Given the premier leagues financial clout shouldn't they be doing a lot better?

mansize

Sky - selling that lie since 1992

Arghus

Best thread in the world.

Dirty Dingus McGee

I was told on one thread that any analysis of the premier league is attempting to be uber cool and it annoys people who enjoy the competition so I think this thread should be closed.

kev1.3s

I think the competitiveness of the premier league is unparalleled in any of the other top leagues, on any given year there is a title run in with two or three teams that isn't always the same, although Arsenal seem to always be there. This year is a bit of an anolomy with the top 4 looking very different to our usual but normally there is at least 6 teams fighting for those top European places.
In Germany and France the league is almost decided before kick off of the season with Spain little better with a choice of two with athletico shouldering in on them now, the premier league doesn't have the teams to match those top 3/4 European clubs but its defenatley a more enjoyable compition.

Panthro

I think Chelsea won the Championship League

Second Toughest in_the Freshers

Premier League best league in the world, all other leagues run by little girls

kev1.3s

Panthro wrote: »

I think Chelsea won the Championship League

And gonna win it again this year.

Flint Fredstone

Such insight, how come nobody has ever questioned this before? Great idea for a thread OP.

Fr Tod Umptious

But why do people get so up tight when others claim that the EPL is the best league in the world ?

When people give out about the hype around the EPL I always feel that there is an element of "oh the Brits are at it again, always banging on about themselves"
Added to that is the almost universal notion that Sky = Bad.

Then there is a element of society that try to be trendy and claim that they prefer to watch Barcelona beat some crowd that they never heard 4-0 than watch Liverpool beat Palace 2-1 with the last kick of the game.

I think a lot of the above can be seen in the 4th champions league place thread going around.
A lot seem to relish the thought of Italy getting an extra placecat the expense of England even though they support an English team and mainly watch English football.

Personally I don't care, Im not interested enough in soccer to care. But if I was given a choice between watching and English game or a game from another European league I'd always pick the English game cos that's what I am more familiar with.

Hank Scorpio

It was from 2000-2010 or so imho. Next year will be interesting with Pep, Mourinho seemingly coming

Dirty Dingus McGee

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

But why do people get so up tight when others claim that the EPL is the best league in the world ?

When people give out about the hype around the EPL I always feel that there is an element of "oh the Brits are at it again, always banging on about themselves"
Added to that is the almost universal notion that Sky = Bad.

Then there is a element of society that try to be trendy and claim that they prefer to watch Barcelona beat some crowd that they never heard 4-0 than watch Liverpool beat Palace 2-1 with the last kick of the game.

I think a lot of the above can be seen in the 4th champions league place thread going around.
A lot seem to relish the thought of Italy getting an extra placecat the expense of England even though they support an English team and mainly watch English football.

Personally I don't care, Im not interested enough in soccer to care. But if I was given a choice between watching and English game or a game from another European league I'd always pick the English game cos that's what I am more familiar with.

Maybe some people actually prefer watching the other leagues in Europe rather than the EPL.


People always give out about hype in general it tends to be quite annoying when something is hyped up above what it really is particularly if your neutral over what is being hyped.I always find RTE's hurling coverage quiet annoying as it's apparently always a great game even when I can see it clearly wasn't. I find Sky Sports golf coverage in the build up to majors quiet annoying as they always seem to focus a disproportionate amount of attention on Rory McIlroy (Hopefully he wins the Masters this year becaus I don't think I can take any more talk of him not having won it).I find hype around Films and TV shows quiet annoying as they tend to over inflate your expectataions and you end up being disappointed.

I always find the commentary and analaysis of the Euopean Leagues much more enjoyable on British TV as you never feel your being told it is something it isn't and that the TV company are trying to sell you something you've already bought.I've already paid for my subscription I don't need to be beaten over the head about it as youv'e already got my money.

Martypants1

You have to define best in the first place.

Is it the highest quality or is it the most competitive?

NIMAN

This year the EPL is definitely the most exciting and intriguing. As much as I think that La Liga is a more technical league, you'd never see a team go from relegation to nearly winning it the next season in Spain.

But to think that every year is open in the EPL is a bit of a untruth. For quite a few seasons the league was basically a 2 or 3 horse race. Many would have you believe that the EPL is always a league that 4 or 5 teams can win every year, but this hasn't always been true.

BoJack Horseman

What league is better?

I would put the aggregate strength of the EPL over the aggregates of the other 3 major European leagues.

Sure, the top EPL teams struggle to match Barca & Munich, but they are 1/20th of their respective divisions.
Looking across the 20 teams of the respective leagues, it seems to me at least that the EPL is the best.

NIMAN

... and maybe wth the huge increase in money next season in the EPL we will see the aggregrate quality of the league increase?

Then again, spending doesn't always mean better quality, look at Man Utd!

Aint Eazy Being Cheezy

Flint Fredstone wrote: »

Such insight, how come nobody has ever questioned this before? Great idea for a thread OP.

I'd say you really miss your bumchum Moldy gowl, don't ya?

Omackeral

The League of Ireland is clearly the best. Even has it's own hashtag. #greatestleagueintheworld. Some gems include

- The stadium announcer asking if anyone has a lend of a Samsung charger over the PA system.

- Danny Ledwith tweeting that he was being a slob on the couch eating monster munch while his Sligo Rovers team mate played in a packed out Wembley against England.

- The 4th Official holding up the board at half time declaring 0 minutes additional time.

Fr Tod Umptious

Martypants1 wrote: »

You have to define best in the first place.

Is it the highest quality or is it the most competitive?

Competitiveness can be defined this way.

Take a sample of say 5 years.
For each league chart the point at which each team is mathematicaly eliminated.
Average it out over the 5 years and compare the leagues.

Right now Bournemouth in 14th can mathematically win the league.

In Spain the team in 6th are the last ones that can mathematically win.

NIMAN

Why 5 years? Why not 8 or 10 or 2?

Its all relevant, and is the reason its an argument that has so many different outcomes.

Fr Tod Umptious

NIMAN wrote: »

Why 5 years? Why not 8 or 10 or 2?

Its all relevant, and is the reason its an argument that has so many different outcomes.

5 was just an example, use as many as required.
Maybe start at a place where there was a structural change like 1992 for example.

corcaigh07

Dirty Dingus McGee wrote: »

Maybe some people actually prefer watching the other leagues in Europe rather than the EPL.


People always give out about hype in general it tends to be quite annoying when something is hyped up above what it really is particularly if your neutral over what is being hyped.I always find RTE's hurling coverage quiet annoying as it's apparently always a great game even when I can see it clearly wasn't. I find Sky Sports golf coverage in the build up to majors quiet annoying as they always seem to focus a disproportionate amount of attention on Rory McIlroy (Hopefully he wins the Masters this year becaus I don't think I can take any more talk of him not having won it).I find hype around Films and TV shows quiet annoying as they tend to over inflate your expectataions and you end up being disappointed.

I always find the commentary and analaysis of the Euopean Leagues much more enjoyable on British TV as you never feel your being told it is something it isn't and that the TV company are trying to sell you something you've already bought.I've already paid for my subscription I don't need to be beaten over the head about it as youv'e already got my money.

*quite

rob316

Undoubtedly I think its the best. Not that it boats the best players but it is the best for entertainment.

- Little can beat large on any given day, you just don't see it in other leagues and its not even shocking anymore when it happens.
- Different playing styles across the entire league, most of the teams in La Liga play the same.
- Even share of TV money has contributed to midtable teams closing the gap on the traditional "big 5"

I really don't care for watching La Liga or Bundesliga, it is always a 2 horse race and it doesn't throw up much surprise. I don't think the quality in Spain is poor its just the TV rights deal there has put Barca and Madrid into another league of their own, granted it has improved with the emergence of Atletico becoming a credible challenger.

Paz-CCFC

If competitiveness and excitement has such a huge bearing on things, then the League of Ireland must be right up there. It very frequently comes down to the last day. Off the top of by head, since 1990 - there was 91, 93, 95, (98?), 99, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2010 and 2014. 2006 had the possibility of four teams winning, I believe. 91, 2005 and 2014 all involved final day, winner takes all deciders. 93 went beyond the last day, to a three-way play-off, which itself required another play-off, as the three teams couldn't originally be separated. And don't forget the First Division - in 2011, the top four in the First Division was 69 points, 68, 67 and 66 (this was over a third of the league). The title was won in another final day decider, with the winning goal coming four minutes into stoppage time. So, was the LoI First Division one of the best leagues in the world in 2011, due to its ultra competitiveness and excitement? Of course not, because actual quality has much more of a bearing than those things. If it were like a league table, quality would be points and competitiveness would be goal difference. Something to help separate an otherwise close contest.


Also, to add to Omackeral's list:

- a player playing the biggest derby in the country, then cycling home afterwards and bumping into a tram full of his team's fans.

Omackeral

Paz-CCFC wrote: »

Also, to add to Omackeral's list:

- a player playing the biggest derby in the country, then cycling home afterwards and bumping into a tram full of his team's fans.

Korat

"biggest derby in the country".

Is he a jockey?

That_Guy

In terms of excitement, it's been right up there this year... Well, unless you're a fan of any team scrapping out at the bottom.

Spurs and Leicester vying it out for top spot is refreshing regardless of who goes on to win it. Obviously, most will hope Leicester can do it given the money spent on their squad.

I'm glad the unpredictability of the title race has emerged because that's what football used to be like in the top flight before teams started buying huge superstars and making the league very stale for many years.

I would think the Championship is the most exciting and probably one of the most competitive in Europe. Play off time is always the most exciting couple of weeks in the football calendar in my opinion.

Great entertainment.

thebaz

nothing like a boards bashing of the Premiership and English football in general , and yet many secretly like it - bit like Fianna Fail , don't know anyone who admits voting for them apart from Eamon , but sadly somehow nearly half the ****ing country did - let us enjoy and indulge our secret harmless pleasures.

That_Guy

That_Guy wrote: »

In terms of excitement, it's been right up there this year... Well, unless you're a fan of any team scrapping out at the bottom.

Spurs and Leicester vying it out for top spot is refreshing regardless of who goes on to win it. Obviously, most will hope Leicester can do it given the money spent on their squad.

I'm glad the unpredictability of the title race has emerged because that's what football used to be like in the top flight before teams started buying huge superstars and making the league very stale for many years.

I would think the Championship is the most exciting and probably one of the most competitive in Europe. Play off time is always the most exciting couple of weeks in the football calendar in my opinion.

Great entertainment.

Love dipping in and out of the Championship. The quality isn't the highest obviously but they play an unreal amount of games just to get to the play-offs. 46 games plus 2 cups is some going.

larchielads

I wonder are the Germans Spanish and Italian havin the same discussion about their leagues?:pac:

mansize

larchielads wrote: »

I wonder are the Germans Spanish and Italian havin the same discussion about their leagues?:pac:

Or the Polish, Poetuguese and Scixilliams

Omackeral

larchielads wrote: »

I wonder are the Germans Spanish and Italian havin the same discussion about their leagues?:pac:

It's gas that people think the Premiership is our league! The above makes no sense.

gormdubhgorm

Omackeral wrote: »

It's gas that people think the Premiership is our league! The above makes no sense.

This was partly the point of this thread. I wanted to find out two things:
1) Do Irish people buy into the Sky premise that the BPL is the best in the world?
2) By finding out the above I will also find out if Irish people view the English premier league as "Thiers". Or at least some level of emotional ownership.
To me this is the last strange dichotomy of the Irish people.

recylingbin

Martypants1 wrote: »

You have to define best in the first place.

Is it the highest quality or is it the most competitive?

It was all settled in the summer of 2005. Each association was invited to send the dad of the player of the year over to Kazakhstan for a royal rumble and john Terry's da battered all comers thus irrefutably establishing the EPL as the greatest league.



In the world.

Flint Fredstone

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

This was partly the point of this thread. I wanted to find out two things:
1) Do Irish people buy into the Sky premise that the BPL is the best in the world?
2) By finding out the above I will also find out if Irish people view the English premier league as "Thiers". Or at least some level of emotional ownership.
To me this is the last strange dichotomy of the Irish people.

1) No, it's up there for excitement though.
2) I support a team in another country, I'm well aware it's not "our league"

Rezident

No but it's usually around the top three in fairness to it. Personally I just find it too defensive, compared with say, Spanish football. Too many "holding" midfield players, and Mourinho-football trying to keep a clean sheet instead of attacking.

I grew up on the English league and this season has been very exciting at times but it's never going to be as exciting as watching the likes of Suarez, Messi and Neymar in all-out-attacking football (but then again what is?).

Dirty Dingus McGee

Second Toughest in_the Freshers wrote: »

Premier League best league in the world, all other leagues run by little girls

If you read that line with Rainier Wolfcastle's voice it's absolutely hilarious.

gormdubhgorm

Flint Fredstone wrote: »

1) No, it's up there for excitement though.
2) I support a team in another country, I'm well aware it's not "our league"

I went through a phase of watching south american football. Colombian, Brazilian and Argentinian. The best way I can describe the football was slow, slow then quick all of a sudden. The fans were fanacitcal especially the Argentinians. The sad part was a lot of the grounds were not even half full.
I suppose the level of excitement depends if you have any emotional investment in a league, or whether you were brought up on that football?
But I will be honest if it were not for playing "fantasy premier league" I would not pay close attention to the league as I do not have/feel any affilliation to any team in it.
I must admit though with the league being more open I am enjoying the fact Leicester are giving the two fingers to the rest of the league. I know there will be a whole generation of 10 year olds in Ireland who will "support" Leicester from now until adulthood especially if they win. But that is another issue entirely.

gormdubhgorm

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

This was partly the point of this thread. I wanted to find out two things:
1) Do Irish people buy into the Sky premise that the BPL is the best in the world?
2) By finding out the above I will also find out if Irish people view the English premier league as "Thiers". Or at least some level of emotional ownership.
To me this is the last strange dichotomy of the Irish people.

We're a nation of glory hunters mostly. Following teams that were successful when we were growing up.

Flint Fredstone

Flint Fredstone wrote: »

Such insight, how come nobody has ever questioned this before? Great idea for a thread OP.

Why so condescending? At least he's trying to make an effort of a debate tbf.


The premiership is vastly overrated and has been for a long time.

gormdubhgorm

RoboKlopp wrote: »

We're a nation of glory hunters mostly. Following teams that were successful when we were growing up.

In fairness we are not the only country who does that. The Chinese and USA are big markets for the English Premier League.
But the bit that irrates me is that irish people can support an English team on one hand and be anti-brit on the other.Other countries do not seem to have that contradiction.
Personally I would say the English Premier League is the best marketed in the world. Barclay's have different ads for the Americans emphasising how hard it is to have a "long distance relationship" with the team you support. While the the UK ads for the Barclay's premier league put emphasis on the supporter who goes every week.

gormdubhgorm

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

In fairness we are not the only country who does that. The Chinese and USA are big markets for the English Premier League.
But the bit that irrates me is that irish people can support an English team on one hand and be anti-brit on the other.Other countries do not seem to have that contradiction.
Personally I would say the English Premier League is the best marketed in the world. Barclay's have different ads for the Americans emphasising how hard it is to have a "long distance relationship" with the team you support. While the the UK ads for the Barclay's premier league put emphasis on the supporter who goes every week.

What's the percentage of people that are anti British and like their football?

And what does anti British mean anyway? Anti everything British or anti government or what?

Does it matter really who supports what? What harm are they doing

gormdubhgorm

Flint Fredstone wrote: »

Such insight, how come nobody has ever questioned this before? Great idea for a thread OP.

Just because Wilma has already made her views know on it does this mean I should not start a thread?
Considering the openness of this years league I thought it might be a good idea?
I am not trying to re-invent the wheel Fred !

gormdubhgorm

RoboKlopp wrote: »

What's the percentage of people that are anti British and like their football?

And what does anti British mean anyway? Anti everything British or anti government or what?

Does it matter really who supports what? What harm are they doing

It is no harm but there is a definite contradiction. Soccer is considered a working class sport. In a lot of these areas their political affiliation would be anti-British. Do diehard soccer, working class supporters really believe that the Premier League is the best? Or do they just follow it out of habit because their mates in the pub do?

niallo27

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

It is no harm but there is a definite contradiction. Soccer is considered a working class sport. In a lot of these areas their political affiliation would be anti-British. Do diehard soccer, working class supporters really believe that the Premier League is the best? Or do they just follow it out of habit because their mates in the pub do?

Who cares if they think its the best or not, LOI fans can think the irish league is the best in the world if they want. This anti-british thing is bollox as well, nobody gives a **** anymore except a few celtic jersey wearing clowns.

Flint Fredstone

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

Just because Wilma has already made her views know on it does this mean I should not start a thread?
Considering the openness of this years league I thought it might be a good idea?
I am not trying to re-invent the wheel Fred !

It's just a cliché now though. "Best league in the world" is mockingly rolled out after every match that is in any way lacking in goals or action.
It's a recurring topic of conversation on this forum across numerous threads.

I didn't mean any offence, just expressing my disdain for the topic.
On and it's Flint not Fred, nobody seems to be able to grasp that :pac:

niallo27

RoboKlopp wrote: »

We're a nation of glory hunters mostly. Following teams that were successful when we were growing up.

Well GAA is very tribal, you would never dream of following a different county. Most of us grew up playing and loving football but had no local team to follow.

Omackeral

niallo27 wrote: »

Well GAA is very tribal, you would never dream of following a different county. Most of us grew up playing and loving football but had no local team to follow.

Most people would have a team within 35/40 mins of them I'd wager. Cut that to 20 mins if you live in Dublin or its environs. Football is very tribal the world over, just not here. We don't do week in and week out for the most part.

Dirty Dingus McGee

Omackeral wrote: »

Most people would have a team within 35/40 mins of them I'd wager. Cut that to 20 mins if you live in Dublin or its environs. Football is very tribal the world over, just not here. We don't do week in and week out for the most part.

The problem is thought if you are from Offaly are you going to bother your arse supporting Athlone Town when they are a team based in one of your counties major sporting rivals.

I doubt someone from Mayo would have much interest supporting a team from Sligo or Galway.

Large parts of this country have no LOI team to identify with.

Omackeral

I'm not disputing that. My only issue was with the poster saying most people hadn't a club to follow. The majority do. Everyone in Dublin feasibly does. Everyone in a city does actually so Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford are all covered. That's most of the population right there. That's without including the bigger towns like Drogheda, Dundalk and Sligo.

Saying you don't have a team close enough to support is a funny excuse though when you take into account they'll support a team from even further away, in another country. I get why they do it, there's just a certain irony!

Fr Tod Umptious

Omackeral wrote: »

Most people would have a team within 35/40 mins of them I'd wager. Cut that to 20 mins if you live in Dublin or its environs. Football is very tribal the world over, just not here. We don't do week in and week out for the most part.

Not really, closer to 90 mins for many.

I grew up in Mayo, I know loads of lads that are really into English soccer and are even more into the ROI team and Mayo GAA teams, but none give a toss for Sligo Rovers or Galway Utd.
The emotional investment does not carry that far beyond the LOI teams back yard.