SENTINELCELTS

Morning,all.

Well,that’s the first legs of the Champions League Group of 16 over and done with. Some of the world’s richest and most famous clubs didn’t even make it that far,including the likes of Manchester United,Barcelona and Juventus. Others still look like going out at this early stage in the next few weeks,and that includes for instance either PSG or Bayern Munich. 

But this article is focused mainly on the underachievements of English clubs in this competition,particularly since any pretence of it being for champions was ditched around twenty years ago. There are now four countries with four entries each to the group stages-England,Italy,Spain and Germany-while France and Portugal get three each. A number of others also get two direct entries,plus another one into the qualifying rounds. 

Champions League? Closed shop for the rich,where entry improves your coefficient for future entries,while missing out doesn’t. Virtually a self-contained cycle,an Old Boy’s Club in all but name. 

But let’s focus for a bit on the performances of the English clubs in that twenty years. At the current stage,only Manchester City are level going into the second leg. Chelsea and Spurs have a one goal deficit to overcome,all three ties at home. Liverpool though have it all to do,after surrendering 5-2 at home to Real Madrid. 

Yet,during this period in question,the English clubs have been hoovering up TV and commercial income and putting clear daylight between themselves and the European rivals,the exceptions being Bayern,PSG,Barca and Real. Others simply cannot keep up. English clubs have also been major beneficiaries of the nouveau riche sources of wealth in the game,whether that be Russian oligarchs,gulf state sovereign funds,or US tycoons. 

And with income from TV and commercial sources this year expected to be more than £6bn,that doesn’t look likely to stop any time soon. 

So,with these major advantages which allow English clubs to invest heavily in the world’s best players,we should expect them to be winning the trophy on a regular basis. Yet that is not the case. Only five successes in that period,and only two of them against foreign opposition. English clubs have been finalists fourteen times in eleven different finals,but these mark a dreadfully poor return for all the largesse lavished on salaries and transfer fees. 

The question is-why? Is it because the EPL is “the best League in the world”? It is regularly proclaimed to be-in England!-but the above stats give the lie to that. Is it because it is so competitive domestically? Well,the usual suspects year after year suggests that it is not as competitive as some. It is almost always perm any four from six,with the occasional outlier like Leicester. Even Italy and Spain have more teams coming from nowhere to qualify,and Spain in particular has a much better record in the event.

Is it then that European football is like a whole new ball game for English clubs more used to the pace and press of the domestic league? That they find it difficult to cope with the organised defensive lines they face in Europe,much less the lightning speed at which those opponents will break when they get the ball?

I think that may well be the answer,that they simply cannot adapt to such a strategy at the top level,the later stages. Others amongst you will have your own ideas on this,and I’d love you to let us know your thoughts on that. But it seems fairly obvious that Europe is too often a bridge too far for English clubs grown fat on the easy riches available domestically. There are surely less expensive hobbies for these oligarchs and tycoons than are available in England. And some of them promise more success for a fraction of the price. 

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Above article by BMCUWP