Is the Premier League the highest standard of competition?

[Coma+]

Certainly from a financial perspective it's the biggest and best.  I'm not so sure the league as a whole is the best.  There is some real dross at the bottom of the league (I'm looking at you Burnley).  I do have a personal bias against the league because of all the sugar daddies so I'm sure my opinion is tainted. 

As mentioned by others I'm not sure how to implement a salary cap, but tying it to a percentage of matchday income might be the way to go.  That is real money and can be tracked, unlike owner cash injections  and fake commercial sponsorships (i.e. sneaking money into the club to get around FFP).  Teams can still have their commercial sponsorship revenue (stadium rights, corporate boxes, etc.) but it can't be spent on player signings or wages.

Personally, I'm all for the super league.  Let those mf'ers start their own league.  I want parity back. 

[Reluctant Striker]

I'm not sure removing transfer fees works. Maybe placing a limit on contract lengths.

But clubs have to name a squad for each competition. Why not say a club can only have X amount of players on it's books for 1st team squad players & reserve/youth teams. Keep the idea of having a certain amount of home-grown players & that would put an extra bit of deterrent or prevention in place.

More radical, perhaps a Europe wide maximum transfer value could be set. Along with maximum individual salary. Perhaps nothing stopping 1 club having a dozen or so on the max salary, while others may only be able to afford 1 or 2. If it's Europe-wide it could perhaps work. But obviously if it's not global.. there's that chance some people somewhere will start throwing crazy money around in America, China, or wherever.

Could it be limited who can spend how much money in any one transfer window.

There are lots of things that could be done. It's just logistically, how. And who if anyone would seek to move in the other direction.

And Man City & Chelsea fans should certainly be just as bothered as anyone else. Blackburn brought a league title in the early 90's. Leeds were once a Top 4 side. Villa. Newcastle. When the money goes, it goes.

[El Profesor]

16 hours ago, Dan said:

La Liga are fucked because they threw their eggs in two big baskets and both of those baskets ended up being carried by utter cretins.

Exactly. 

The foundations of spanish football were always fragile to begin with. 

Middle and small teams in Spain are way too weak.

I don't think spanish economy is dynamic and diversified enough to support a sufficient number of different teams to make La Liga an interesting and more balanced competition. 

 

[Dan+]

I'd genuinely really like to see these other leagues get a bit better because I don't really like the idea of one league being so dominant. Like, as it stands, I can see the next 20 Champions League semi finalists being at least 50% English sides. It shouldn't be so weighted towards one, but here we are.

And to be honest, is it England's fault? I used to think so but over time I think it's as much the other leagues for simply not doing more. The Premier League now has a huge advantage and one that I don't see being squandered for a long time, but it didn't get that advantage for nothing.

[Inverted]

Yes, although it feels like a lot of the lower part of the table is just disjointed teams with random good players.

Like Newcastle, whose gameplan is basically "go run about a bit and give the ball to ASM". Or Watford with Ismaila Sarr.