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West Ham Utd v Aston Villa : Premier League 15:00 Hrs Sunday 11th of May 2008 at the Boleyn Ground |
Is Keegan right?Submitted by Denbighammer on 6 May, 2008 - 17:14.
Kevin Keegan said yesterday that he doesn't think Newcastle can ever break the top four clubs dominance. I personally think KK is a tool but credit where its due he's always been an optimistic sort of tool and for him to come out with such a statement is actually quite shocking. It also begs the question; can West Ham ever break into that elite group? If we consider the clubs that have tried since the inception of the Premier League we find a list of clubs who have either boomed-or-busted to various degrees or chugged along but not really got anywhere. Leeds are the obvious example of a club that spent like drunken sailors on leave in a whorehouse and paid the price (Division three anyone?). Blackburn won it when Jack Walker (last of the homegrown sugardaddys?) was alive and 3m bought you Alan Shearer, not Henri Camara. However, they have faded and had a stint in the Championship to boot. Villa, Newcastle and Everton have had strong showings at times but have flirted with relegation when their plans went slightly wrong. The problem as I see it is the lack of patience, not just from supporters who demand instant success but also the owners and particularly the players and their agents. In the 70's/80's a player would come through, either from the youth ranks like Trevor Brooking or bought from a lesser club (e.g Billy Bonds). That player would settle in, make mistakes and develop over time. The club might do well or they might fudge along for 4/5 seasons before the player starts to wonder when the success will arrive. Even then, if he is happy in the area he might stick it out and see what happens. Nowadays, players arrive and if the club isn't top 4 by the first Christmas his agent is making noises that he wants out! This means the clubs are inherently unstable and cannot plan for the future. This situation isn't helped by the massive rewards of the Champions League actually being a curse if you are in for 2/3 seasons and then fail the next season because your finances are geared towards the mega money rolling in (see Leeds and Newcastle). So, the question is; can we ever compete with the top four and achieve our Champions League dream and if so, can it last?
( categories: Current Season )
Very clever and intelligent
Very clever and intelligent post this Den and does give food for thought in a very in-depth obscure area; a slant on a very real problem, the void is almost like the social class-gap, the nuevo riche can get the money but are never really in the same 'class' and it ain't long before they spunk it all and are back to square one, metaphorically speaking of course.... Good post
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K.K, in my opion was spot on because in the past up untill about three years ago whenever you turned over to channel 401, Sky T.V were always televising Arsenal or Man-Ure giving them the vast lion share of the tele rights in turn making these clubs richer and more powerfull, there was even an occaison three years ago when they ignored some really explosive promotion games in what was then called Div.1 so they could televise Arsenal v Birmingham at a time when Arsenal had already won the league and Birmingham were going nowhere and the 0-0 result, I think justifies my comment on that. In fact there was time that if you couldn't get to a game, mostly, the only way that you would see your team play on the box was when they were playing Arsenal or Man-Ure and that was one of several ways, I think that Prem seemed to be appeasing the bigger clubs so that they would not break away and join this proposed European Super League. If you look at league stats from 30, 40 or 50 years ago you would notice that for the most part, there were all different sides winning the league from one season to the next, so every side had the aim of winning league at the start of each season and that would have made things a whole lot more excitng rather than than the usual suspects winning all the trophys and ending up in the top four which I think is a bit boring, but maybe, things are about to change with the Worthless and the F.A.Cup going to teams outside the top four even if one of those sides winning a trophy was the spuds.
Personally i like the job Moyes has done.They made the top 4 then the bottom fell out the following season.They re-grouped with a couple of shrewd signings Tim Cahil,Phil Jagielka and Joleon Lescott re-invented Joseph Yobo and introduced some youngsters Leon Osman.Did not spend fortunes,only on Beattie and he was wrong for them and replaced him with Yakubu and Johnson.With a couple of decent signings they can challenge the top 4 or at least Liverpool and Arsenal.As i said they have not spent fortunes but operated well in the transfer market.With a bigger squad Villa could also challenge.They have spent more than the toffees but could be undone if Young and Barry get tempted away.I think Curbs got into a comfort zone at Charlton and forgot how to manage and took his eye of things.
I agree that Moyes has done a top job but I would question whether they can go any further than 5th. They now need about three World Class players, not good ones like Pienaar but top quality players who've arrived expecting Champions League football, not hoping for it. That top bracket of players is difficult to attract for a few reasons. 1.) They demand massive wages and would probably cost a large transfer fee too. 2.) Other clubs need them and are willing to pay. 3.) Other clubs will probably be more attractive to these players. 4.) Because of point 3 Everton will have to tempt them with more of money, thus making Evertons job even harder. Add in that Everton are about to move to 'THE KIRKBY TESCODOME' and need money for that and you see the problem? I'm not knocking what you've said or that it is impossible to achieve Top 4 from outside but I think I've illustrated just how hard it can be even for a well-run, well-supported big city club with a good manager like Everton are.
DAVID O'LEARY at LEEDS nearly achieved it but the funds dried up and they imploded.The key to top 4 status is a huge injection of funds initially to build a quality squad,as CHELSEA did.Followed by regular smaller cash injections each summer during the close season, where under-performers are shown the door and replaced by better quality.That cycle is a guarantee for success ,but unless the big funding is there initially top 4 status will not happen.And unless it is continually topped up each summer with more quality that status cannot be maintained as LEEDS proved.People say on this site that it is impossible to build a top 4 status club in one season...I disagree.If that initial funding is there ,as ABRAMOVICH provided for MOURHINO ,it can happen.But to go with the huge investment there HAS TO BE A QUALITY MANAGER ,having one without the other ,it will not happen.MOURHINO did not just talk the talk but he walked the walk,he is one of the best managers today ,if not the best.If ever we did need a new manager he would be my choice,but we have no chance of getting him.So who is there that would want to come to WESTHAM?......TERRY VENABLES maybe
Leeds are THE prime example of a club that achieved Champions League qualification for a couple of years and spent money based upon qualifying for that tournament for years to come. Unfortunately (for them) that didn't happen and it all went boobies skywards because they were left with cloggers like Seth Johnson on 40k-per-week. They made a balls of it but you could see their problem - they had to keep spending to keep up, yet they spent money they hadn't earnt yet its a catch 22 situation.
Breaking into top 4? Not sure if Villa's squad is big enough... but then again, they don't have our injury probs! Same with Everton, they've fallen off the pace once their scorers got injured. I'd say S***s are the best bet if they can keep Berbatov, integrate Modric and add some steel to their midfield... And of course, after we beat Villa on Saturday, we'll officially be better then them, so we'll finish top 4 too! L'arse look like they'll have to rebuild their midfield and the Poo look like they will implode at boardroom level. If the owners can't stand being in the same country as each other at the same time, how the hell will they agree transfer funds/targets. I think next season as a one-off could see two teams disturbing the traditinal top 4.
Unfortunately, I think your probably right r.e. S.Purts. However, my point still stands that if they don't achieve something straight away will the big names get pissed off and look for a move away? Berba has already been making noises.
I said earlier in the season that we desperately needed somebody to break the monopoly this season and it hasn't happened. Only hope now is for Liverpool to implode or for Arsenal to lose Hleb and Fabregas on top of Flamini. If Villa sell Barry to Liverpool, that will confirm all tht Keegan is saying. However, let's not forget that Tottenham got within vomiting distance not so long ago, Everton made it and, pre Abramovich, Chelsea were not a big 4 team. Things do change over time. I think Villa are the best bet at the moment - if they make three quality signings and keep Barry, they could push Liverpool and Arsenal next season.
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