22 Apr 2021 10:11:36
Looking at the major European Leagues is it any wonder football is losing its attraction?

In France, there used to be different winners but since PSG got money they have dominated winning 7 of the last 8 titles. In other countries it’s been just as bad and for longer.

Juve won 9 in a town in Italy before this year, Inter will break that hold. Bayern have won 8 in a row, and in Spain, the big 2 have won 15 of the last 16 titles.

How much fun is it as a Bayern fan winning the title every year? And how much fun is it supporting other teams when the gap is so vast? Same in Spain, same in France and until this year, same in Italy. Even Scotland. With Rangers out of the picture, Celtic had no real competition, is it really enjoyable to win season after season when there isn’t really a proper challenge?

In England it has been slightly better. We have 5 different winners in the last 8 years but go back 20 years and the number doesn’t get any bigger.

When United did the treble in ‘99 it was an amazing feat, there was the chance to to the domestic treble on a couple of occasions but it didn’t happen. In our period of dominance we won some leagues comfortably, others were dog fights. But look around at the number of domestic trebles that are happening now: bigger teams are dominating more and more which must surely just get boring for everyone?

Too many matches are dull, too many leagues are predictable and the ECL is getting that way. PSG have thrown hundreds of millions at it and might just win it this year. So what? City the same. I know City fans who have up their season tickets as they don’t think it’s their club any more, it’s just a sovereign state trying to improve its image through sport.

Football has lost its soul, but it is also fast losing it’s attraction to many. It’s too late to change it, the big clubs have too much power and will not relinquish it easily. It is no longer sport, it is big business generating huge amounts of revenue and ultimately the game has been diminished by the dominance of a handful of teams.

1.) 22 Apr 2021
22 Apr 2021 10:59:28
"In France, there used to be different winners but since PSG got money they have dominated winning 7 of the last 8 titles. "

Lyon won seven titles between 2001-2008, although I get your point, it's not a great example.

2.) 22 Apr 2021
22 Apr 2021 11:40:48
Tony i believe that there are solutions and things that can be implemented to make teams competitive and matches not so boring, but it needs to be addressed firstly on an FA, level and adopted european comps.
Limit transfers on numbers or realistic figures, stipulate that squads must include academy players - I know some of this has been done but be more stringent and update. I honestly think football was more enjoyable when we had the european ban and had to reg assimilated players and the other stuff.
Var - the ref must watch every decision not pick and choose revalute the reason for offside- ie don't disallow a goal because the right back is down injured on the corner post and his fingertips are offside- let the game flow.
The reason that the esl has been mooted by the big guns for years is money, as they aren't fans- hit them with taxes but give incentives if they support a lower league club or put money into all manner of schemes- not just 320 note off joel but big sums- after all they would only pay it out in tax.
with regards to the talk of relegation, points deduction etc tbh i am sick of hearing nufc fans aka the lemon men) crying for it as well as others. The players were not responsible and in fact were at risk of missing out on a varity of things ;internationals etc so why punish them and the fans? It smacks of rivalry gone rotten and would further fuel the resurgence of the ESL propsal done the line.

3.) 22 Apr 2021
22 Apr 2021 11:53:50
Remember when we were constantly winning titles, did the thrill get any less. Personally I thought it did, the years you remember most are the ones where you were in a real battle, I'm still mentally scarred by what happened at 13 May 2012, but that is overshadowed by 02 May 1993, still my best day as a United supporter.

4.) 22 Apr 2021
22 Apr 2021 14:27:47
Ludwig, let's widen it then. In the last years there have been this number of different title winners.

England 5
Italy 4
Germany 5
France 7

In the 1990s, United won it 7 out of 9 years. Since then, it has rotated a little more with 5 winners over theast 8 years.

My main point is that generally its just dull. How do Eveeton fans feel? What is their ambition? Top 4 I guess, but for what purpose? Not just Everton, we have clubs justifying to avoid being relegated.

The game is now too unbalanced, and it's getting worse every year.

5.) 22 Apr 2021
22 Apr 2021 15:05:58
I miss us competing and miss us entertaining more than I do the actual winning.
Its been 8 years since we have seriously competed to win a league and not been in a cl semi for a decade.
Us winning never got boring for me personally or dull even when it was dull under jose and leg.

6.) 22 Apr 2021
22 Apr 2021 15:14:17
I don't think its changed much Tony.
How many different English sides win the message from 77 to 90?
Villa forest liverpool Everton arsenal. Same no of 5 but just different clubs.
Football is increasing its appeal and viewership I think uts a case of you find it less appealing.
I remember my father telling me football was finished when ever Francis sold for 1m and he never felt the same after that about football. It was not the game he fell in love with as a boy.
Time waits for no man. You either move with the times or get off the bus.
The changes we are seeing now are no different in size and impact on the game to those that our fathers saw.
You are not alone in gaming out of love but they are more than replacing us with the next generation.

7.) 22 Apr 2021
22 Apr 2021 17:34:00
I haven't watched a game in nearly 3 years now because of exactly this.

I've seen everything before, the product isn't worth the stress and hasn't been for a very, very long time.

I lurk on here from time to time, check the results every couple of weeks or so and things of that nature and that's enough for me these days.

It's a shame, some of the older posters will remember how passionate I and many others used to be in comparison to now.

Weirdly, I don't miss the inathenticty of it all.

8.) 22 Apr 2021
22 Apr 2021 19:44:24
Welcome back moon.

9.) 23 Apr 2021
23 Apr 2021 08:38:32
Haven't watched a game in 3 years?

I guess we're seeing the dark side of the Moon now😂.