Society is increasingly dominated by money
THE climax to the Premiership season was exciting, I must admit that. Though despite being a fan of Oasis, I’d have rather Liverpool emerged as champions. Nevertheless there weren’t many surprises, with the same few elite teams gaining Champions League qualification once again.
For really success at the highest level is all about money, and serious money at that.
These days you see clubs aren’t owned by a local businessman who came good, but a multi-millionaire or consortium from overseas that has assets of a billion pounds plus.
On top of this there are the millions to be gained from TV rights, which add to the clubs’ spending power. What with shirt sponsorship and the like, gone are the times when an eleven can break through at the highest level simply by having the best local players and a good manager.
So there’s virtually no chance that you’ll get a Derby or Nottingham Forest joining the elite, as they once did under Brian Clough.
Today he’d need to have a fairy godmother or two in addition to his management skills if he was to have the same chance of winning trophies.
Lower down the footballing pyramid it really becomes a case of the haves and have-nots.
Once upon a time the TV rights money was shared out proportionally, while the lower leagues had their own deals.
Today it’s a case of the more they have, the more they are given.
In the 1990s I saw Norwich play Town at Blundell Park in what is now the Championship.
Norwich dreamt of getting back to the top division where they’d once finished third after leading the table for much of the season.
Yet now the Carrow Road faithful have a team that yo-yo between the Championship and the Premiership.
And as for the Mariners, this is sadly their second spell out of the Football League.
Still I suppose this all reflects a society increasingly dominated by money. Thus why they continue to call football the beautiful game, goodness knows!
Tim Mickleburgh, Boulevard Avenue, Grimsby.