The Champions league is supposed to be the pinnacle of football these - a chance for the top players in the world to play for the best teams in Europe against each other.
So what happened this week then? Liverpool massacred a horrendous Besitkas team at Anfield, Arsenal played their Carling cup team away from home and United barely broke a sweat to beat Dynamo 4-0.
On Tuesday I watched the first 2 goals go in for Liverpool, knew that the match was over and switched over to a program about massively overweight people and how much they eat each day. Thrilling stuff. Flicking back to Anfield on occasion, my worst thoughts were confirmed - a rout for the 'Pool.
The highlights package contained few surprises and Wednesday night rolled around.
Man Utd sauntered out onto the pitch, played terribly, and won easily, despite having Darren Fletcher in the team. In the other 7 games, everything went to plan with Barca, Inter, Lyon & Sevilla all winning as expected. The highlight of the night was former Sheffield United man Colin Kazim Richards (now known as Kazim Kazim) scoring for Fenerbahce to help beat PSV.
This is not the first time the Champions League was ruined by predictability, and it won't be the last. The idiot Platini hopes to include more Champions from smaller countries in the competition, and possibly domestic cup winners too, all of which, while noble, will ruin the competition and create more nights like Tuesday and Wednesday. It is not the major clubs fault that there isn't the same money in all parts of Europe - it is down to the individual country's economy, and, crucially, population. No amount of tinkering by Platini will create a sufficient trickle down effect to substantially improve these countries. What will happen, and is happening, is that the Champions League regulars (for example - Dynamo and Shatkar) get more and more money while the rest of their domestic league flounders. Who is that good for?
TV companies won't be happy with recent one-sided games, that, while great for the team's fans, are a turn off for the neutral, who want to see top class football. The Champions League should be cut down to 24, even 16 teams, with extensive qualifiers before the likes of Levski Sofia or Slavia Prague get a sniff of the main competition. Otherwise, TV money could fall and the cabal of G14 will push their agenda forward - the European Super League
Mark,
7 comments:
"Well that was a crap game, wasn't it?" - RTE's Bill O' Herlihy introduces the post ManYoo-Kiev analysis. Well according to reports anyway. I watched Barca v Rangers which was worth it for how well the home team played at times.
A dire midweek, reminded me of the times when there was (shudder) two group stages. I think in fairness this is just a particularly bad year for the first round, maybe I'm forgetting something but I don't think last year's first phase was quite as bad.
ol 'Arry has been talking baout the same thing. we're kindred spirits...
http://www.football365.com/story/0,17033,8652_2868262,00.html
Would you adam and eve it, how did such a sensible man as harry spawn such a dickhead of a son?
whos fatboy in the picture?
no idea, just found it online...
I was secretly pleased that Liverpool did not start their Champions League campaign so well this time.
Last season, although they reached the final, totally lacked any excitement. Maybe a few minutes in the Barcelona games and towards the end of the semi-final but the rest was not worth watching. Any the final was rubbish.
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