Is the Prem Just a Feeder League for Real Madrid and Barcelona?
By: Daryl | June 12th, 2009
I’ve been thinking some more about Cristiano Ronaldo’s (not yet completed, but almost definite) move to Real Madrid. Mostly because there hasn’t been any other news since then. I’ve mostly been thinking about what it means for the English Premier League.
For those who want to see a title race in England, this has to be a blessing. Man Utd won the Prem a little too easily these past two seasons, and it was getting a predictable. With C-Ron gone things might get interesting again.
But in terms of star power? Surely this is a massive blow. Especially as Cristiano Ronaldo’s recent encounter with Paris Hilton represents another step on his path towards super-celebrity:
(aren’t the paparazzi just lovely?)
Say what you like about Paris Hilton, she knows who’s a celebrity and who isn’t.
Yes, the Prem has Gerrard, Torres, Lampard, Ballack, Rooney, Fabregas etcetera. But the big names? The super-duper-superstars who Paris Hilton would recognize in a club? They either keep leaving or keep failing to arrive.
Ronaldinho turned down Man Utd to join Barcelona in 2003, just as Kaka went to Real Madrid instead of Man City. Thierry Henry left Arsenal for Barcelona and David Beckham left Man Utd for Real Madrid.
As widely watched as the Premier League is, the situation still remains that no Premier League team has ever landed a superstar at the peak of his fame and powers. And when players reach their peak in the Prem (eg Ronaldo, Henry) they head for either Real Madrid or Barcelona.
Spain’s big two have established themselves as the premiere destination for the world’s biggest names, and that doesn’t look like changing anytime soon.
 |
Soccer Forums | Team/International Results |  |
 |  |
Category: World Football
Tags: Barcelona, Cristiano Ronaldo, English Premier League, La Liga, Paris Hilton, Real Madrid, World Football, World SoccerSubscribe
|
Print
|
Share
      |
Comments
-
With regards to Ruud, obviously he was brilliant at PSV and a player a lot of clubs would have wanted. But he wasn’t yet a “superstar”, if you see what I mean.
Drabik’s Shevchenko and Veron examples are a good counterargument though, as they were already at big clubs.
I’ll definitely concede that the headline is sensational at best (inaccurate at worst).
But still… I stand by this narrower verion of my argument:
That where big name players are concerned, the transfer traffic (whether actual signings or just rumours) tends to flow from the Prem’s big four to Spain’s top two (eg Fabregas to Barcelona) while the idea of Real/Barca’s best players being successfully wooed by Utd/Liverpool/Chelsea/Arsenal seems a lot less realistic.
Posted from
United States
-
If Serie A can’t compare, then why are EPL teams looking to buy talent from Serie A? Why are EPL/English national teams using Italian managers?
Shouldn’t those people all be beneath notice if they “can’t compare”?
It’s as big a myth as EPL teams buying young talent and selling it off as it becomes past sell by. Off the top of my head I can think of Chelsea buying Ballack, Deco and Baletti in recent years – all past prime.
Posted from
United States -
@ Hilal 11.34am
Which team is more dominant than the other:
1) A team that won the CL twice in the past 10 years but reached the CL finals only twice
2) A team that reached the CL finals 10 consecutive years but won nothing. And let me add that this team beat the team in (1) eight out of ten times they met in the CL semis
Posted from
United States -
Via MAD…
“The EPL has the best players (on average)”
This is an opinion, not a fact and I for one do not share it. The top 2 have great players, the second group of 2 have good players, but the rest of the league – as has been pointed out – is filled with average, interchangeable parts.This is laughable. Did you just say Chelsea and Arsenal just “have good players”? And, the rest of the league is “filled with average, interchangeable parts.”???
Anyone who can sanely write this drivel must be delusional or simply biased.
Posted from
United States -
Tyson, I must say, your comments about La Liga are highly ignorant. All about cash, glamor, and glitz? They don’t nurture young talent? What about a team like Atletic Bilbao who only have players on their team from the Basque region? You’ll never see that in the Premier League, ever.
La Liga doesn’t nurture young talent? Players like Mata, Bojan, Pablo, Messi, Busquets, Javi Martinez, Ignacio Camacho, Azpillicueta, Diego Capel are not young talent who have been “nurtured”? “Premier league buys young players and rears them into superstars” Those young players include players from Spain and I wonder why more teams in the Premier League don’t have home grown talent like Rooney. Ask yourself why that is. Then come to me about “nurturing talent” or whatever your ignorant self says.
Posted from
United States -
“Anyone who can sanely write this drivel must be delusional or simply biased.”
I was thinking a similar thing about the above sentence. Although, I wouldn’t call someone who is delusional sane.
Plus I like how you are somehow upset that I think you have “good” players… my god, what an insult
On the other hand, I wouldn’t switch my team’s players for yours…
Posted from
United States -
Kaka wouldnt choose united over real madrid if both had come for him. It would be a step down in terms of history.
Posted from
United States -
Real Madrid and Barcelona are scrambling over the Everton and Villa players… no wait.
Man United and Chelsea are scrambling over Atletico and Valencia players. That sounds about right.Right, honestly if you were to match-up 1-20 of both leagues and give an honest, informed answer as to who would win…
FEEL FREE TO COPY & PASTE THE BELOW INTO YOUR RESPONSES AND GIVE THE WINNERS OR A DRAWBarca – Man U
Real Madrid – Liverpool
Sevilla – Chelsea
Atletico – Arsenal
Villarreal – Everton
Valencia – Aston Villa
Deportivo – Fulham
Malaga – Spurs
Mallorca – West Ham
Espanyol – Man City
Almeria – Wigan
Racing – Stoke
Atlethic – Bolton
Sporting – Portsmouth
Osasuna – Blackburn
Valldolid – Sunderland
Getafe – Hull
Betis – Newcastle
Numancia – Middlesborough
Recreativo – West BromBarca – Man U – BARCA
Real Madrid – Liverpool – LIVERPOOL
Sevilla – Chelsea – CHELSEA
Atletico – Arsenal – DRAW
Villarreal – Everton – VILLARREAL
Valencia – Aston Villa – VALENCIA
Deportivo – Fulham – DRAW
Malaga – Spurs – SPURS
Mallorca – West Ham – MALLORCA
Espanyol – Man City – MAN CITY (on a good day)
Almeria – Wigan – ALMERIA
Racing – Stoke – RACING
Atlethic – Bolton – ATHLETIC
Sporting – Portsmouth – PORTSMOUTH
Osasuna – Blackburn – DRAW
Valldolid – Sunderland – DRAW
Getafe – Hull – GETAFE
Betis – Newcastle – BETIS
Numancia – Middlesborough – DRAW
Recreativo – West Brom – BOTH WOULD FIND A WAY TO LOSE – DRAWPosted from
Ireland -
Really Jack? Ok so out of Chelsea and Arsenal who are the really great players? Arsenal have Cesc and and you could argue VP, besides that all their players are good, no more. Arshavin i like a lot but we need to see more and Walcott has yet to really impress. None of their players would for example get in the top 5 players in the world. Chelsea are a bit better, yes they have a very tough, strong, aggressive teams but individually are all the players that great? Lampard is awesome, Drogba has his moments, Essien is world class, besides those 3 the other players are all quality but nothing spectacular. Again none of them would get into top 5 player category. Liverpool are weird cos they have two phenomenal players and a bunch of average to good players. Torres and Gerrard are both incredible, world class players and they both would get a shout for best player. Macherano is also class, but what about the rest of the team….Kuyt, Babel, Benayoun, Alonso, etc. All decent players, but hardly spectacular. Utd is the only team who really can boast quality.
The rest of the league, well im not gona sit and go through every team but I watch the EPL every week and most players are average at best when you compare them to the quality in Spain. Aston Villa are probably your strongest team out of the top 4 right? Who do they have that is so special? Now look at Spain and some of the teams that sit outside of the top four, some the quality in their ranks….Aguero, Villa, Silva, Mata….all players that the top 2-3 clubs in the EPL would pay tens of millions for. Villa and Aguero in particular would walk into either of the top two teams in the EPL. Can you say anything similar about the players in England. Can you name one player who plays out of the top four that could walk into a Barca or Real Madrid side? I cant think of any. The EPL have the best “top 4″ but that is it and four teams does not make a league. This is exemplified perfectly by the fact that English teams always get far in the CL but never get anywhere in the Uefa cup. One win and one final in 10 years. That says everything about the strength of the EPL as a whole.
Posted from
United States -
wayne KAKA would NOT have chosen man UTD over madrid i bet my left nut on that , even though we havent been the same for the past 5 years or so we will always be able to attract great players ..ask C.ronaldo he’ll tell you
and you saying that ronaldo left man utd because fergie sold him is laughable he left because ” he had asked to leave AGAIN” because he “DREAMS” of playing for Madrid we’re a bigger club than utd or any EPL team for that matter my friend and thats not an opinion its a factTYson spain is about money and the EPL is about “nurturing talents” ? LMAO please tell me that was a typo , are you serious ? if you call travelling around the globe stealing 16 years old kids who are almost the finished products and then promote them a couple of years later nurturing then HELL yea the EPL nurtures a lot , all the EPL does is steal spain and italy’s cantera kids because in england they’re allowed to give kids under 18 professional contracts and all as opposed to the former two where a kid has to be 18 in order to be contracted by any club they dont call the EPL clubs “pirates” in europe for nothing brother
Posted from
United States -
So, Spanish fans are just like Barcelona supporters; there’s no logic to their rants.
Chelsea currently has two midfielders who get into a best XI in the world. Oh, they also have the best leftback, one of the top three rightbacks, one of the five best central defenders and a forward, who on his day, is easily the most dangerous on the planet. And the rest of the team, yeah, they’re not bad, either. Simply put, put your Real Madrid out there next season against us and we’ll slap the s*** out of them.
Remind me again, this is a joke thread right?
Posted from
United States -
Sidenote: How in the hell is Real a bigger club than United right now? Maybe in revenue, but stature? As of right now? Please.
Posted from
United States -
Yeah I highly doubt Kaka would have chosen ManU over Madrid. He probably would have thought it over breakfast, maybe on the can too, but he would have chosen Madrid.
If Perez has any sense at all, he will buy some defenders with that mountain of cash. Once he does that, Kaka has a chance at creating something much more meaningful and greater than anything he could ever accomplish at ManU.
The current Barca has a chance at becoming Dream Team 2.0, and one of the greatest sides to ever play the game.
They’re going into a boxing ring against the greatest club in football history, who’s just about to wake up from a slumber.
What’s he going to do at ManU? Liverpool went on a string of draws to eff up their chances to win the league, Arsenal barely made it over Aston Villa (who lacked a bit of depth) and Chelsea have a manager that hasn’t been in the league yet and might not work out. So basically he’s going to waltz into a Prem title. Whatever.
And let’s talk youth development. As mentioned before, Bilbao only take kids from their region and they’ve got Llorente who’s a big target this transfer season. Valencia has Juan Mata, Villa, Silva, Marchena.. all top-quality players developed in Spain. Atletico de Madrid have.. should I keep going? One team alone has probably developed more local youth than the entire EPL put together. Come on now.
Posted from
United States -
jack ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
wonder why so many dots ? ill tell you , its because your post doesnt deserve to be replied to and ill be damned if did so , run along nowPosted from
United States -
jack’s still a little angry over you-know-what. Give the guy a little bit more time.
Posted from
United States -
Ahahah dont bring that up before he post another essay up on how deserving chelsea was of a place in rome
LIGHTING!!!!!! uh sorry i got flashbacks of iniesta’s strike
Posted from
United States -
lightning* ……
Posted from
United States -
Andres, fellow La Liga fan, I’ll second that advice. We at the Barca Offside have been on give-Jack-space alert until further notice. It ain’t easy being a Chelsea fan these days…
Posted from
United States -
LOL, so we rant illogically do we? The irony…pot meet kettle.
Posted from
United States -
To my mind there is little doubt La Liga nurtures a lot more talent than the EPL. Part of why RM’s transfer policy is so maligned is that they in fact let ridiculous numbers of their players go to other La Liga teams or out of Spain altogether, while spending big on players with no affiliation to RM. Cambiasso (Inter), Negredo (Almeria), Granero, Soldado (Getafe), Juanfran (Osasuna), Arbeloa (Depor, then Liverpool), Diego Lopez (Villarreal), Mata (Valencia) – and this is *just* Real Madrid. Barca, Sevilla, Valencia, Athletic Bilbao all have strong youth development policies, but we’re only just looking in the obvious places: David Villa came through the Sporting Gijon ranks, and Xabi Alonso through the Real Sociedad ranks (both teams have strong cantera policies too). Every single one of those players, if not a full international, is considered a key player for their club. So let’s put the “Spanish clubs buy big and EPL clubs nurture talent” to bed. It’s daft.
As for the overall strength of the league, I think the comparison between CL and UEFA Cup sides is a worthy one. That Spanish teams generally get into the knockout stages but not as consistently into the later stages as the EPL teams do says their top end is not as consistently strong as the EPL, but in the UEFA Cup there’s no comparison. This season, EPL won out (Man City made it further than Valencia and Depor), but over the last five seasons in the UEFA Cup we’ve seen 11 Spanish clubs represented, with more than half of those also playing in the CL group stages during this time (Depor, Villarreal, Sevilla, Atletico, Valencia, Betis), with two wins (both Sevilla) and five different clubs in the quarters to show for it. In comparison, there have been 8 EPL clubs in the UEFA Cup these five seasons, with one team reaching the final (where Boro lost 4-0 to Sevilla), three teams in the quarter-finals, and only one team (Everton) also getting the chance to qualify for the CL (but lost to Villarreal during qualifying). So I don’t see why it isn’t fair to say the top end of the EPL might be stronger, but La Liga is stronger overall.
Posted from
Singapore -
To follow on Madridista’s point, notice that the EPL’s Champions League representatives are the same every year. This creates a positive feedback loop in which these clubs get CL income and it accumulates over the year. These clubs can come to depend on this income, with the little challenge that the rest of the EPL has offered the last few years. (Look up how much clubs make in the CL compared to the UEFA Cup. One analysis I read once showed that a club that makes the CL knockout stage is already making more than that year’s UEFA Cup WINNER.) The last time all of CLAM wasn’t in the Champs League was 2003, when Liverpool was replaced by (the now-relegated) Newcastle.
In Spain, though, the Positions 3-6 are constantly in flux (Real and Barca are-usually- but not always in the top two). You don’t get clubs that can depend on constant CL income ever year, so they can’t mount the wealth to build a squad that can allow them a deep CL run. And unless you are extremely lucky with injuries (like us this year), you need a deep and thus expensive squad to keep up in La Liga and the CL. Atletico, Valencia, Sevilla, Villareal… Bless ‘em, but none of them can consistently (>2 straight years) make it into the Top 4.
That gives La Liga an on average better 3-6, but not the best 1-4.
Posted from
United States -
You know, this isn’t something that hasn’t been said 10^6x o’er the internet.
Posted from
United States -
Real Madrid wouldn’t have such an impressive honours list if it wasn’t for government corruption.
Posted from
United Kingdom -
@Jack…..lol. Yeah because there is soo much logic in your rants isnt there? Its funny how you EPL fans always talk and talk but you dont put anything forward to back your claims. Please if you are so sure of your position answer me the two very simple questions I put to you; why is it (if the EPL is the best league) that outside of the top four not a single team has won anyting in Europe in the last 10 years? And name me one player outside the top four who could walk into either Barca or RM? I named you 4 already that would go the other way. In fact Chelsea are scrapping for 2 of them. They prob wont get either because they lack any history whatsoever, they just have money, not even the most money anymore. They already lost Robinho to Man city, i could see it happening again with Aguero.
Chelsea have one midfielder who would get into the best XI and that is Essien. Lampard is great but he wouldnt get in a midfield ahead of the likes of Xavi, Iniesta, Gerrard or Kaka. Sorry mate, no chance. As for beating the shit out of Madrid next season, lets see. You didnt convincingly beat any teams in the CL this year so I am not sure where you get your confidence from, but I am willing to wait and see cos well who knows how this “new and improved” RM is gona fair next year. I tell you what though you wouldnt batter any of the other top four teams in Spain. Utd have yet to beat Villareal once out of the four times they have played in the last 2 years. Villareal are a tiny club who spend about a 10th of the money top EPL teams do and the all mighty Utd havent been able to beat them once. Liverpool couldnt beat Athletico Madrid who were convincingly thrashed more than once by Barca and several other teams in the league. Chelsea scraped by Valencia the last time you played them and that was at the peak of your powers. You won, but it certainly wasnt a grand victory. None of these clubs btw spend anywhere near the money top EPL teams do. I mean really you EPL fans need to get over yourselves. You would have thought seeing the EPL champs so convincingly outplayed in the final of the CL (when you all though they would walk it) might have woken you up a bit. They didnt even play a full strength team!!! So you know keep talking and talking, its what you english are good at, but results dont lie.
Posted from
United States -
IMO in a footballing sense its La Liga no doubt. Players and teams there pay football. In England they sit back and defend, and rely on athleticism because the result is all that matters. So if you are talking about pure footballing sense, I think its La Liga in an instant. I think Hilal nailed it with his argument as well…
Posted from
United States
Read the rest of the comments
Comments are closed
Home 
