thoward18 Posted October 11, 2012 Report Share Posted October 11, 2012 Sorry if these posts get annoying but I am genuinely intrigued by English soccer/football and the culture surrounding it. Because it's absolutely nothing like anything we have here in the US in any sport. So just some questions here that I would appreciate any answers to. Or if there are books or online sources I could be pointed to that would be excellent as well. - What was the motives behind the creation of the Premier League in 92 and how did it happen? - How much emphasis is there on winning the Npower Championship as opposed to merely earning promotion. Aside from the money earned, is there any incentive to finishing first as opposed to second? - Exactly how much do people care about the Europa League? - At what level is soccer no longer a full-time job? Here in the US, players in any other league aside from the MLS almost definitely have to have a full-time job, with soccer just being an "on the side" thing. - What is the lowest level shown on TV? Given how close cities in the UK are (at least in comparison to the US), how does broadcasting work? How is it decided what games are played in what regions (I have no idea if this question makes sense)? Appreciate any information you guys have. And I'm sure I'll think of a million more questions after I submit this. But hopefully you all see it as an opportunity to teach instead of as this annoying Yankee who doesn't know shit, haha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete0 Posted October 12, 2012 Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 - How much emphasis is there on winning the Npower Championship as opposed to merely earning promotion. Aside from the money earned, is there any incentive to finishing first as opposed to second? Non, unless you're a Newcastle fan and try to count it as a honour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thoward18 Posted October 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 Non, unless you're a Newcastle fan and try to count it as a honour. Really, they do? I could see a team like Leyton Orient or Coventry being proud of it but Newcastle is one of the last teams I'd expect to count it as an honour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcopaulo Posted October 12, 2012 Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 why? cos they're an apparent big team? don't buy into that myth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoo Posted October 12, 2012 Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 Newcastle are a small club, they just like to think they're something special. As for your questions; - Footballers work full-time in all of the football leagues (Premiership, Championship, League One and League Two). I think you get some professionals in the non-league too but its pretty rare, most of the non league teams are filled with semi pro's. - The Europa League is taken seriously by teams in the Premiership, its an almost impossible task to finish in the Top 4 for some teams so the Europa League is the only realistic piece of European football some teams have. - The Premiership and Championship are shown on TV pretty regularly, the other leagues are only really shown when the FA Cup is on (and they are playing a top team; for example Burton Albion versus. Manchester United). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeO Posted October 12, 2012 Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 - The Premiership and Championship are shown on TV pretty regularly, the other leagues are only really shown when the FA Cup is on (and they are playing a top team; for example Burton Albion versus. Manchester United). All Championship, league one and league two game highlights (mostly just goals an big incidents) are shown on The Football League show on BBC1 Saturday night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoo Posted October 12, 2012 Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 Highlights yes, but I think he's asking about actual games that he can watch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avinalaff Posted October 12, 2012 Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 Why wouldn't winning the Championbship be an honour? It's the 2nd greatest achievement in English football, and just as difficult to win as any other league title. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeO Posted October 12, 2012 Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 Why wouldn't winning the Championbship be an honour? It's the 2nd greatest achievement in English football, and just as difficult to win as any other league title. Hmm....I agree you want to win whatever league you're in, even a Sunday League park job. But the second greatest achievement in English football is coming second in the premier league surely? Championship winners come 21st.....though there's a decent argument for 18th. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avinalaff Posted October 12, 2012 Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 Hmm....I agree you want to win whatever league you're in, even a Sunday League park job. But the second greatest achievement in English football is coming second in the premier league surely? Championship winners come 21st. If we weren't the team with the biggest top flight history, and instead were a 4th division side, you'd probably look at it differently. Winning the Championship not only wins you the league title, but also elevates you into the Premiership too, so in many ways it's even more important. Only losers come 2nd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeO Posted October 12, 2012 Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 ...but also elevates you into the Premiership too... Sorry Avin but I'm not 'avin that ! "Also" and "too" in the same sentence is just not forgivable . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avinalaff Posted October 12, 2012 Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 Sorry Avin but I'm not 'avin that ! "Also" and "too" in the same sentence is just not forgivable . It's the least of my worries. I went to a sunbed place last night with the missus, and after pursuasion agreed to have a go. I was advised to have 9 minutes. I already had a bit of a tan from Cyprus, but didn't account for the bits that didn't see the sun, which are now very burnt, very red, and very sore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete0 Posted October 12, 2012 Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 If we weren't the team with the biggest top flight history, and instead were a 4th division side, you'd probably look at it differently. Winning the Championship not only wins you the league title, but also elevates you into the Premiership too, so in many ways it's even more important. Only losers come 2nd. Most the talk all season is who will get the automatic places rather than who will win the league. There isn't enough difference between 1st and 2nd in the Championship, as the winner only gets a tin cup to show off in the trophy cabinet, but both get the main reward of Premiership football. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thoward18 Posted October 13, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2012 Thanks for the answers guys. Just a few follow up questions. If most teams below League 2 have semi-pro players, what happens when teams are promoted up to League 2? Are players given that much of a raise? Are they expected to quit their jobs? I understand that for teams like Stoke, Sunderland, West Ham, etc. Europa League is an accomplishment. But how do big teams approach it? Is it basically an afterthought for Liverpool this year? Or is it still a big deal (though obviously not on par with Champions League)? Are Championship-League 2 teams basically helpless unless they get tickets to games then? Do teams like Bolton, West Ham, Leeds, etc. really not on TV this season unless it's FA Cup? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete0 Posted October 13, 2012 Report Share Posted October 13, 2012 There is weekly Championship/League1+2 football on Sky http://www.football-league.co.uk/page/TVGamesDetail Mostly Friday night football being the main attraction, with the other games on during ESPN's coverage of the prem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoo Posted October 13, 2012 Report Share Posted October 13, 2012 If most teams below League 2 have semi-pro players, what happens when teams are promoted up to League 2? Are players given that much of a raise? Are they expected to quit their jobs? I don't know 100% but I'd imagine; With the money they get for being promoted they will try and buy some League Two players that are professional so that they can have more experiance within the ranks, they'll also try and loan some of the young players from higher divisions so that they can have a high standard of young talent in the team too. Players that are semi-pro and out of contract may wish to have higher wages now that they are in the football league but I doubt that they would be able to negotiate so harshly considering they're not to a professional standard. Take Fleetwood Town for example, they are in the football league for the first time this season and have loaned players from Blackpool, Crystal Palace and Barnsley to help them survive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted October 14, 2012 Report Share Posted October 14, 2012 Sorry if these posts get annoying but I am genuinely intrigued by English soccer/football and the culture surrounding it. Because it's absolutely nothing like anything we have here in the US in any sport. So just some questions here that I would appreciate any answers to. Or if there are books or online sources I could be pointed to that would be excellent as well. - What was the motives behind the creation of the Premier League in 92 and how did it happen? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_Premier_League Why wouldn't winning the Championbship be an honour? It's the 2nd greatest achievement in English football, and just as difficult to win as any other league title. would be winning the FA Cup for me but I see your logic - depends on what the teams is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dalziel Kane Posted October 14, 2012 Report Share Posted October 14, 2012 People say it's more difficult to win the second division now or championship league or however you see it, than it is to take the EPL Title. I guess that's all dependant on any one teams perspective. The scots league became a premier league, as in, change from first division league in 1975 or 1976, but they waited until 1992 to finally repeat that in the English League. I prefered it as it was before then, Sky TV and pay per views everywhere you look, too commercialized today, asinine wage salaries, it gets worse every year. Soccer took a turn for the worse to some with the advent of the premier league 20 years ago it's fair to say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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