Fucking excellent post. I still have respect for Ajax despite some cryarsing from their fans and that banner about us having no soul or some other bollocks.Despite being part of the old G14, I will always respect Ajax above all other clubs in Europe. Ajax are the reason City play the football we do, the reason we win trophies in the manner we do.
The great Barça teams and City under Pep are just copies of the Ajax system. From Cruyff to Michels to Reynolds all the way back in the early 1900s.
It’s a shame that clubs like Ajax, and to the same extent clubs like Galatasaray, Olympiacos, Legia Warsaw, Dynamo Kyiv etc. are just left behind by the rigged system that England, Spain, Italy and Germany have carved out for themselves.
The 2019 Champions League Final between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool was contested between two clubs who hadn’t won their First Division title for 58 years and 29 years, respectively… a combined 87 years.
The 2019 Championship Play-off Final between Aston Villa and Derby County was contested between two clubs who hadn’t won their First Division title for 38 years and 44 years, respectively… a combined 82 years.
That’s not right, for me. Ajax did get to the semifinals that season but Crystal Palace and Everton have higher revenues than Ajax.
And even if Ajax were part of the old G14 and were part of the move to bring in FFP, it’s not exactly like City fans can say a lot about that since we were a club that jumped at the chance to join the European Super League, that didn’t even include the likes of Ajax yet did include ourselves, Arsenal and Spurs, three clubs who had never even won the Champions League/European Cup at that point, and Ajax had won more European trophies than City, Arsenal and Spurs combined.
I know that the Dutch and Belgian leagues have talked about joining and becoming a Dutch-Belgian Super League to create more revenue for their clubs. Even if that comes into fruition, I don’t see how they’ll compete at the top with the rigged clubs/leagues. Ajax will pretty much be stuck where they are now as a club.
That's bullshit. Dynamo Kiev have struggled since Shakhtar Donestk became the top team in Ukraine. I can't remember Legia Warsaw being in the Champions League groups. Yet four countries have four places each guaranteed each season.They haven't been left behind by any system - if anything clubs like the ones you mentioned have been incredbly well protected by things like the 8 champions spots and seedings in the CL.
The reason these teams can't compete anymore is simply that they don't have the TV money. A team in a country of 15 million people will never be able to compete with a team that gets over £100m a year in domestic TV money.
I would say that the massive domestic TV money increases in England is a direct long-term consequence of having more teams able to qualify for the CL (in some seasons England and Spain have had five) and able to earn the money that comes with CL that has increased the quality of our teams and has increased the interest in the Premier League thus has increased our TV revenues.They haven't been left behind by any system - if anything clubs like the ones you mentioned have been incredbly well protected by things like the 8 champions spots and seedings in the CL.
The reason these teams can't compete anymore is simply that they don't have the TV money. A team in a country of 15 million people will never be able to compete with a team that gets over £100m a year in domestic TV money.
Benfica are the same. An insane amount of fans but as soon as someone gets good they’re off before they reach about 22Ajax sadly can't keep hold off their best players because the money is too good for them and also the players all want their dream moves to bigger clubs.
Some clubs are victims of being in a country that isn't like England, France, Spain, Italy and Germany.
Thats the rigged system Psychedelic Casual is talking about. And even PL has shaken off competitions in Germany, Spain, Italy and France.They haven't been left behind by any system - if anything clubs like the ones you mentioned have been incredbly well protected by things like the 8 champions spots and seedings in the CL.
The reason these teams can't compete anymore is simply that they don't have the TV money. A team in a country of 15 million people will never be able to compete with a team that gets over £100m a year in domestic TV money.
Yeah, Bernardo Silva only played for Benfica three times as a sub as a young lad and has said he wants to make sure he’s back at Benfica at a young enough age to make an impact for them but they can’t afford to buy him directly from us while he’s under contract because he’d be too expensive.Benfica are the same. An insane amount of fans but as soon as someone gets good they’re off before they reach about 22
I would say that the massive domestic TV money increases in England is a direct long-term consequence of having more teams able to qualify for the CL (in some seasons England and Spain have had five) and able to earn the money that comes with CL that has increased the quality of our teams and has increased the interest in the Premier League thus has increased our TV revenues.
Thats the rigged system Psychedelic Casual is talking about. And even PL has shaken off competitions in Germany, Spain, Italy and France.
In the end its all about money. Albeit we seem to handle our spending way better than any of our rivals in England and abroad.
As for Ajax I hold no sympathy for them. They are the rags of the Netherlands. Get the same protection from the media. And had in Michael Van Praag their David Gill.
Btw it was Cruyff who changed football as a player and asa manager. Not Ajax.