Stan Collymore

[Shaka]

http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/opinion ... 01025.html

To make the Premier League the best get Leeds and Newcastle back, get rid of small clubs and scrap relegation and promotion

By Stan Collymore

The Premier League is considered by many to be the best league in the world but I think drastic reform is needed to keep it at the pinnacle.

With the UK’s punitive taxes, we are already starting to see many of the English top-flight’s best talent draining away to the continent.

Just this summer the likes of Ronaldo and Xabi Alonso quit for the La Liga in Spain, where they will earn considerably more money after tax.

And I would actually like to see the Premier League comprised solely of the 20-25 clubs who have been the biggest and most successful sides in modern history.

I think those teams should form the top-flight whether that be Leeds United in the third tier or Newcastle United in the second tier.

And there would be no promotion or relegation which would allow those teams to grow.

Then you would guarantee some of the world’s best derbies, like Sunderland v Newcastle, happening each season as well as other huge games like Leeds against Man United.

It would make a pleasant change from watching some of the smaller clubs in the Premier League in recent times like Reading, Wigan and Bolton.

Fans around the world want to see the huge games - not clashes involving clubs like Barnsley, Watford or Hull.

So I think it really is time that those clubs who have contributed the most over the last 100 years be the flag-bearers for a new Premier League with no promotion or relegation.

That would allow teams to attack without fear because no-one will be relegated.

And it will crucially enable the Premier League to go on to the next level if we are to compete with La Liga and Serie A in Italy.

The Football League would still function if you are a Wigan or a Notts County or a smaller club.

These sides would do what they have done for most of their existence which is play in a league where you have a better chance of winning something.

My main grievance is the reason why the likes of Wigan, Hull and Reading have got into the Premier League.

For the most part it is due to wealthy benefactors who have bought into them because they are cheap investments.

The likes of Reading and Hull are in a big catchment area with potential for the growth and benefactors know if they put in modest sums they could get them within touching distance of the Premier League and turn a huge profit in the value of the club.

So this isn’t a romantic story about clubs developing from within with a view to trying to go and win an FA Cup or title.

This is pure chance taking by people who have seen clubs as a method to get enhance their ego and earnings.

There is little precedent in other sports for the system of meritocracy if you look at the NFL.

They get billions in TV revenue and I think broadcasters would pay even more for the Premier League rights if they knew the biggest clubs and the marquee names would be involved.

There would derbies galore and repeats of famous historical clashes galore.

Most people with the of greatest respect do not tune in to watch Wigan against Hull - they tune in to watch Liverpool versus Chelsea.

So I think we should forget the 39th game and just have the top 25 clubs in the country playing 50 games.

I am salivating dreaming at the thought of it.

[Row Z Royal]

CoLOLLOLymoROFLe

[Royalee]

Piss off Stan, you should be in jail.

[The whole year inn]

forgot to take his brain medicine this morning

seriously, wtf

[Mike Hunt]

Who is this Luddite ?

[Barry the bird boggler]

What a complete and utter pillock. How to kill the game in this country in one fail swoop.

[Bowman's Quiver]

http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/opinion/columnists/stan-collymore/To-make-the-Premier-League-the-best-get-Leeds-and-Newcastle-back-get-rid-of-small-clubs-and-scrap-relegation-and-promotion-article201025.html

For the most part it is due to wealthy benefactors who have bought into them because they are cheap investments.

The likes of Reading and Hull are in a big catchment area with potential for the growth and benefactors know if they put in modest sums they could get them within touching distance of the Premier League and turn a huge profit in the value of the club.

So this isn’t a romantic story about clubs developing from within with a view to trying to go and win an FA Cup or title.

This is pure chance taking by people who have seen clubs as a method to get enhance their ego and earnings.

There is a certain trueism about this part of his logic. I think many on here would connect with his claim of owners trying to enhance their ego's. What he fails to realise - or chooses to gloss over - is that the same accusations can be levelled of the owners of Man Utd, Chelsea, Liverpool, Newcastle and Leeds, to name but a few.

Otherwise, a complete and utter load of drivel from "look at me" Collymore. And for the record Stan, Bolton, who are one of the clubs you appear to be targetting have a history every bit as big as certainly Leeds and Sunderland.

[papereyes]

Who is this Luddite ?

I would suggest he's the opposite of Luddite.

The ideal future for Premierleague clubs would be an elite league, with no promotion or relegation, and the teams selected on the basis of their TV markets and 'size'.

It would be tedious, boring bollocks. But it would guarantee a profit for most involved.

[frimmers]

agrees with papereyes. collymore has more wit and vision at his disposal than most of the pundit platform.

[Wycombe Royal]

I can see those teams involved in the Champions League being willing to play 50 league games a season........

So how do Serie A and La Liga manage with promotion and relegation and clubs with a similar stature to Reading, Wigan and Hull playing in them?

Isn't his issue about taxes rather than the teams that make up the league.

What an idiot. A brummy writing something that somehow justs fits in beautifully with his accent.

[buzzby]

Dont forget he still thinks its ok to beat women up.

[Stranded]

Here’s an idea, we could form a top flight of 32 teams split into 8 groups of 4. No promotion/relegation.

Each team plays home and away against teams in their group and randomly against say another 12 teams home and away giving a 30 game season – the 8 winners and 4 best runners up enter a play-off system – best 4 clubs get a bye in round 1 – knock out comp and the winners meet in the final – they could call it the Superbowl…

[southbank1871]

I'd suggest that he's written this to provoke a reaction and some debate rather than actually believing it. I hope that's the case anyway as he's one of the more listenable pundits out there.

It annoys me when people keep going on about that taxation system in this country meaning players will go abroad rather than playing in England. In most circumstances, the top players will negotiate a net salary, so it just means it costs the clubs more to provide this.

[Thaumagurist*]

I see that it's from that rag, The Mirror. I wonder if Oliver Holt ghost wrote that article for Stan?

[frimmers]

Dont forget he still thinks its ok to beat women up.

does he? could you post a link to reinforce your statement?

[AF1]

he sounds like a team board poster there tbh

[handbags_harris]

The man is so misinformed it is untrue. What an absolute load of sh*t He should go back to beating Ulrika.

[frimmers]

perhaps he has moved on.unlike you.

[Thaumagurist*]

perhaps he has moved on.unlike you.

Says the man who still hasn't moved out of his cardboard box.

[FiNeRaIn]

The man is so misinformed it is untrue. What an absolute load of sh*t He should go back to beating Ulrika.

He's not misinformed - he's just a moron. He beats up girls, that shows what a retard he was.