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Can any experts in English footie give me a sense of how the talent level of the various levels compare with one another, even taking into account the promotion/relegation among all of them, as well as the relationship of the "super teams" versus the rest of the Premier League?
More specifically, how would you compare the talent level of the Championship to the Premier League? Would you say that overall, they are half as good in general as the Premier League (50%)? Or do you think they're closer than that, maybe 66% or 75% or 80% as good? I know there's a huge variation in talent level between the top and bottom of the EPL table, but I mean in general.
How about the relationship of League One to the Championship? League Two to League One? Conference National to League Two? The Conference regional divisions (Level 6) to Conference National?
First off I'm no expert but I do follow football and enjoy it, but am not mad about it.
Realistically only one out of five or six teams stand any chance of winning the Premier League, indeed only three different teams have won it over the last nine seasons.
There's a second tier of teams in the league who will be dangerous to the top teams but are likely to end up mid table, and then there are the teams just hoping to not get relegated. Even these teams can have a good day and beat a top team, especially at the end of the season when they are battling against relegation, or are up against local rivals.
There is a fair old difference between the Premier and the Championship, witnessed by the fact that of the three teams promoted one season, one or two are likely to be relegated the next. (I haven't researched that statement, it's just that's how I think it tends to go.)
The big big difference between these two leagues, and I bet you've guessed, is money. Money from TV rights and so on makes a huge difference allowing clubs to pay stupid money and stupid salaries to players.
The Championship is an extremely hard fought and competitive league. It's probably a more physical league with clubs sometimes relying on this over finesse, but there are some extremely good players in that league. The best end up being transferred into the top league of course.
League 1 is a bigger drop again but there are some notable clubs in that division, the most notable being Wolverhampton Wanderers who were in the Premier League two seasons ago!
I'd find it very difficult to put percentages on this. Also a high flying Championship side might have the edge on a very poorly performing Premier side.
Taking aside the Premier elite, I would say that the top Championship sides are overall at 75% those of the rest of the EPL. If the get promoted they need new players in order to stay up. It falls a bit more from the Championship to League 1, and I really don't know about League 1 to League 2.
The FA Cup is a fantastic competition and always throws up unexpected results, with even non league sides getting into the later stages of the competition. I love it.
Taking aside the Premier elite, I would say that the top Championship sides are overall at 75% those of the rest of the EPL. If the get promoted they need new players in order to stay up. It falls a bit more from the Championship to League 1, and I really don't know about League 1 to League 2.
This part flashed by me once more. By this, do you mean the gap between the Championship and league 1 is greater than that between Premier and Championship; less of a gap; or same?
This part flashed by me once more. By this, do you mean the gap between the Championship and league 1 is greater than that between Premier and Championship; less of a gap; or same?
Definitely more of a gap. I guess my take on it is: Championship sides could fare OK in some of the top leagues of even some mid tier nations, but L1 is where you start getting to the real small-town sides.
Definitely more of a gap. I guess my take on it is: Championship sides could fare OK in some of the top leagues of even some mid tier nations, but L1 is where you start getting to the real small-town sides.
That sums it up for me.
I don't see so much League 1 or League 2 football, maybe a few minutes highlights here and there.
League 2 is starting to move into the realms of part time professionals.
Please bear in mind that I am no expert, just a keen follower.
The last time I saw a top team playing was a few years ago in, of all places, Houston where Everton had pre season warm ups.
OK, so does this mean we are seeing League 1 and League 2 sides getting relatively worse than the Championship sides as time goes by? Meaning, the gap between Level 1 and Level 2; Level 2 and Level 3; Level 3 and Level 4--are they all getting wider and wider as time goes by?
OK, so does this mean we are seeing League 1 and League 2 sides getting relatively worse than the Championship sides as time goes by? Meaning, the gap between Level 1 and Level 2; Level 2 and Level 3; Level 3 and Level 4--are they all getting wider and wider as time goes by?
Yes.
The gap between the championship and league one is massive. For some reason League One teams can hardly keep up with Championship sides. League One and Two sides can compete with each other for the most part.
Once you go below League Two you start getting very small clubs with players who are just part-time soccer players. The gap becomes even wider.
The gap between Championship and mid-lower tier EPL sides isn't much.. They can compete and often get the better of them as is evident in the league and FA Cup.. However they lack the resources to purchase quality players who can perform and this level consistently and can step up in case on an injury.
The gap between the championship and league one is massive. For some reason League One teams can hardly keep up with Championship sides. League One and Two sides can compete with each other for the most part.
Once you go below League Two you start getting very small clubs with players who are just part-time soccer players. The gap becomes even wider.
The gap between Championship and mid-lower tier EPL sides isn't much.. They can compete and often get the better of them as is evident in the league and FA Cup.. However they lack the resources to purchase quality players who can perform and this level consistently and can step up in case on an injury.
A lot of the recently (as in last 3 years) promoted teams have done pretty well. Southampton, Stoke and Swansea in particular. I'd say that the top 6 in the Championship and bottom 6 in the Premier League are pretty much on par.
Championship players still have a very lucrative career which means there are plenty of solid professionals on their way down the career ladder and plenty of young talent on their way up.
This phenomenon is exemplified most notably by the relatively recent trend of Premier sides loaning out their fresh young talent to lower league clubs to gain experience instead of playing them in fairly pointless reserve or youth league games devoid of the urgency and passion of a Championship or even League one fixture where the power and pace is frenetic and where learning to ride roughshod and hold off tough challenges proves vital experience for young talent learning the ropes and the tricks of the trade defensive work-horse midfielders use to nullify talent that may have flair, a deft touch and ability but lacks the robustness to thrive as a professional.
Careers can wither and die as quick as the hype surrounding a professional is built however and the history of \english football is littered with the names of once promising talent who after a promising burst into the first team of a Premier League side were destined to languish in the lower leagues for the rest of their careers.
Andros Townsend for instance was loaned out at three or four different clubs before attracting plaudits in a pitifully plundering QPR side last season where he stood out amongst a squad of journeymen pros and mercenaries on inflated salaries proving money spent in January is rarely well spent.
Even the quality of Conference football is very high. The FA Cup is a good leveller and very often the difference between an amateur and professional is consistency and that crucial ingredient of a touch of class or talent that can turn a game in a moment with a cutting through ball, free-kick or side-step that sets them apart from their counterparts.
Most amateurs in the Conference have all the basic attributes of a Premier League player. Even to make it as a semi-pro you'll have to have achieved a very high standard in your career at youth and county level to cut it at a Conference club. Commitment is a major factor too.
A physically robust and efficient player can carve out an excellent career whilst usually the best players at youth level will often fade into mediocrity due to the usual temptations of teenage youth which make them too unreliable by the time they reach their peak which is why there are often some stunning performances in one off Cup ties when talented players work themselves up for a big cup tie but lack the mental commitment to raise their game to that level on a consistent basis.
Tim Sherwood was a mediocre player until his 20's but robust physicality and a rigid fitness regime combined with a basic grasp of the basic tenets of being a defender or work-horse midfielder is a very achievable goal for those willing to put in the effort and commitment.
Players with natural talent however are rare, which is why the Premier League teams have that added touch of class lacking in the lower leagues.
However I think the Premier League is on the wane, currently going through what the Italian League went through in the 90's. Overly defensive mindsets in teams with ten men behind the ball facing top class teams dependent on mercenary pros who can often go missing from week to week before playing the odd game where they'll suddenly burst into life.
City are the best team talent wise for instance, but a workmanlike Manchester United side beat them to the title with ease last season. Aguero however is an amazing talent and looked unplayable against a lumbering Spurs defence last Sunday.
Chelsea again, on paper should cruise games like Basel but Basel's work ethic and effective performances as a collective unit who look like a team rather than a team sheet of star names have now achieved two well deserved victories against Chelsea as well as knocking out Spurs in the quarter Final of the Europa League last season.
The Premier League, like the Italian league was in the 90's has just become a routine passage for world class payers whoare overpaid and often go through the motions rather than playing with real intent.
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