Premier League: Dream Or Nightmare

The Premier League is monster, make no mistake about it. Since the break-away from The Football League England’s elite have built a monopoly that is the envy of world football. Vast amounts of overseas and domestic broadcasting revenue has flooded into the league. In addition to that lucrative sponsorships have followed, which has been shared among it 20 members with parachute payments handed out to many others who have failed to survive within this most elite of clubs. 

Criticism has been rightly pointed at the irresponsible and sometimes beyond belief behaviour of owners of some of these clubs while feasting on the leagues lavish riches. From Leeds United's collapse to the demise and recent somewhat revival of the Sheffield clubs, there is a air of sadness that despite all this glory the real victims have been some of our greatest clubs. Nottingham Forest and bitter rivals Derby County have become Championship hopefuls at best. Despite a history, fanbase and stadiums worthy of a place among the top table they find themselves trapped beneath the glass ceiling wondering if they will ever break through. Coventry City have fell far from grace while Norwich City and Ipswich Town are hovering in the second tier  despite the former having spent some time in the top flight .

Despite all these stories of mismanagement and in Portsmouth's case overdosing on success, there are many great stories the league has helped to inspire. When the league was formed no one could have predicted Bournemouth would become a competitive Premier League club. A club able to spend £20 Million pound on a central defender in the last transfer window. Brighton and Hove Albion have come from playing at a athletics stadium to a club among the big boys, flexing their state of the art Amex Stadium, determined to prove they belong here. Blackpool may have fell victim to a number of the earlier negativities but their one season in the league was a miracle in itself beyond any fairytale. Swansea City have climbed the leagues and have somewhat established themselves as a top flight club. Both Wigan and Portsmouth lifted domestic honours, inspired by their presence in the league but soon fell prey to life outside the cash cow. 

When you consider the league has shown no mercy to strongly supported clubs such as Newcastle, West Ham United and Southampton in the past, while it has recently swallowed up Aston Villa, it proves that the Premier League is a beacon of inspiration to the lowly.  A dream that everyone believes they have a chance of achieving someday, however small. But it is also safe to say that the dream can quickly become a nightmare if you indulge of the privileges with no consideration for the consequences.  

 

Anthony Kavanagh