We were meant to lose last night

your football is a monopoly but the world economy is also a monopoly. This is slightly off topic but the football situation is the same as the current world situation. Dirty capitalists (sky) will continue to get richer at the expense of other leagues much like developed countries will at the expense of developing countries. Look at what happened to setanta, who offered an alternative viewing station to sky, they went bust. We won't ever see a change to the system either because the people who call the shots (uefa,fifa) are in the back pocket of people like Rupert Murdoch. Sadly, we are groomed our whole life told that money is everything and this notion controls the game that we love so much. Until radical changes are forced, football and the world will remain a monopoly.

 

So it,s nothing to do with the owners of arsenal and most English teams being filthy rich then?

 

We have a filthy rich owner too mate, these guys don't use their own money. They are businessmen who are there to make money in a game thats been flooded with the * stuff. It's a rich mans playground where the only ones out of pocket are us, the faithful through and through fans who will always produce the green stuff no matter whats on the agenda.

The money directly from Sky has ruined a once great sport.

 

First, Good on Celtic last night played well and even though I think Arsenal played better than Celtic the 2-0 scoreline doesn't do Celtic's team defending justice. I think 1-0 or 0-0 would of been a more fair result hard to blame Caldwell for the goal it was a good cross he had to cut out or it would of been tapped in and some times those plays go in or some times they don't. Really a tough draw for both teams but the way it is now the final round is always going to be tough for SPL and EPL teams being stuck in the non-champions bracket.

As for the ruination of football Sky has done nothing but strengthen English football not ruined football in anyway. Irresponsible ownership/management is ruining the game Man City, Chelski, ManU, Real Madrid and possibly Liverpool but who knows whats going on there. These clubs either spend outside their revenue stream and drive up the prices hurting more prudent clubs or smaller leagues like the SPL, or in the case of ManU and Liverpool carrying debt without servicing it appropiatley either through lack of revenue or poor management. To lesser extents clubs that spend their way into adminstration or just as guilty but they don't have the effect the bigger clubs do by hitting outside their means. Teams with actual sound business models like Celtic an Arsenal will continue to find it harder to compete or these irresponisble clubs will start to feel the strain and ease back...lets hope for the latter.

You talk about what Celtic don't have compared to other big European clubs but no one mentions a huge debt load be happy for stability and being a top 20 club in Europe is nothing to be upset about 16 teams make the knockout stages each year just need a good performance to get there and then anything can happen in two ties (still 90+ mins to be played I rule out nobody).

Look forward to the 2nd leg I won't wish you luck on Wednesday (it would be insincere) but if does happen you go out best of luck in the Europa league. Mowbray is smart manager and I think his youth policy will pay strong dividends for revenue generating through transfers and football in Europe.

 

I have been inpressed by the manor of the Arsenal bhoys on here(apart from "Arsenal Fan", he was a *). They have all seen more in our own team, than most of our own forum.

An insincere "good luck" to you too mate.

 

i was always under the impression manchester united buy in their talent for alot less money than what their rivals usually spend.
alot of players always seem to do brilliant at man u and then move on, but you get the devoted guys like the nevilles, scholes and giggs too, who in their prime probably could of went anywhere for ridiculous money, but opted to stay at old trafford.

 

Although they do pay high transfer fees Sir Alex is excellent in the market for the value of those buys comparing money in to oney out on transfers Her averaged about 18M net spent a season for the last 5 years respectable for a club of ManU's size but with the sale of CRonaldo and buys that average is down to 4M or so.

When I talk about Man U I refer to the Glazers and there mountain of debt twice that of Arsenal's and growing and while Arsenal's debt is at 5.2% and 5.8% and was used to make money for the club ManU has 200M of theirs at over 10% and is only tied to buying the club not making and money, these level I can't see any team sustaining.

 

Many are starting to think that there will just be a English super league with us included.

 

their scouting network is quite brilliant. i mean nobody knew the likes of rafael and fabio, the two twins but they have come and slotted right in. plus regarding the debt, i think we should see how much of the debts are actually on united and not on the owners. as far as my understanding goes, half of the debt is on their owners and if united are sold again they wont be entitled to half the debt. plus they could have easily renamed old trafford as the nike stadium or something else and wiped out their debt as arsenal did but they didnt and that commands respect in my opinion. also the marketing that they do is really unbelievable. i mean in this part of the world, when i put on my celtic jersey, half of the idiots dont even know our club. but when it comes to united, every other person knows them even if they dont follow football. united have also planned to open some restaurants and bars in india and in the city i live. football has gone to the dogs and its all about making money. good on us that we are not following the bandwagon.

 

that would atleast bring some money in and put some arrogant english sides in their place

 

There is a lot of people unemployed ,accepting a lower wage to stay employed and some just panic about losing their jobs in this country.
What do you think they do to feed their family's? I think Sky would bee the first thing to go , which then starts to burst the bubble.

 

You may have seen your league improve in quality with the revenue from Sky but its a different story in other parts of the world including here. If you have read the thread fully you would see that my main point is the distribution of the wealth that sky dish out. It is not fair on leagues outside your Premiership, how are we meant to compete fairly if we are being handicapped from the start?

Sky have flooded the English game with money to enable yous to be able to bring all the best young talent into your country. The reason being so that they can sell your league to the world and make even more money. Others not so well funded by this * of an establishment can't compete with the crazy wage demands never mind the transfer fee's. You might not want to bite the hand that feeds you but you can't persuade me that Sky has helped the sport in any way. The playing field is not level and if its not level then it can't be fair and it can't be true sport. Every team entering a competition should have the same chance of winning but that is not the case.



* Sky and * Murdoch

 

We weren't supposed to win tonight!

Reasons stated above

Not a level playing field