Tim Trophy: Milan, Juventus, Inter (English)

[drew]

And what has that to do with the difficulty to win Serie A contra EPL? I think that EPL, overall (teams 1-20), is a much more competitive championship. That's makes winning harder and games more unpredictable.

I can fully understand the hype of the EPL. At least Serie A sucks if you compare those two. Serie A has less money, less stars, worse players, worse stadiums, worse supporters attending the games etc. etc. etc.

I think there is nothing wrong in admitting that. In the UCL for the last couple of years, English teams have been dominating the last knock-out phases. Every since 2004, an English team has been in the UCL final.

as you know well Gurre, english football wasnt always so good, the advent of the EPL saw english football reinvent itself, away went the terraces, hooligans (kind of) and arogant long ball style play, and in came all seater family stadia, with a new breath of talent, Cantona, Giggs, Bergkamp, Zola, Ravanelli.

The EPL started by pinching italies older stars, gullit, vialli, zola, ravanelli, and has evolved into a maketable league, which is dominated by money and foreign stars.

Only 3 or 4 english players can really say they have influenced the EPL in a big way.

Shearer
Beckham
Lampard
Gerrard

Ita;y now needs to reinvent itself as a footballing country, and make a brand.

It could be so easy, Italy has to be the most marketable country on earth doesn't it? Steeped in tradition, history, art, style etc. The powers that be need to bang there heads together, and reinvent italian football.

No other country has the teams historically that Italy have, not england, nor spain.

England: Liverpool, Manchester United
Spain: Barcelona, Real Madrid
Italy: Milan, Inter, Juventus, Roma

Teams need to own there own stadia, they need to lose the terraces, they need a safety and security overhall, until this happens, the likes of Machieda, Aquilani, Rossi, and all Italy's young talent will flee the peninsula. Itlay historically is a country that has had all its national teams players play in their home country.

Until that time, english teams will dominate, the league is a higher standard, the likes of Geovanni play at Hull!?

Milan, Inter Juve, Roma, can and will always have some clout to pull in signings, but the rest of the league doesnt. Nowadays, even the likes of Hull, Bolton, Wigan, and Sunderland have an element of attraction, be it a nice home stadium, big wages, or the opportunity to play in the worldwide coverage of the EPL.

EPL is shown in 211 countries, to over 500,000,000 homes worldwide, 20 years ago in england that was unthinkable!

Italy MUST reinvent itself, or it will be curtains.

So in conclusion, i agree with Gurre

However, i think all football is predictable now,

Serie A: Inter, Juve, Milan, Roma
La Liga: Barca, Real, Valencia
EPL: Chelsea, Liverpool, Man U, Arsenal
Eredivisie: PSV, Ajax, Feyenord
France: Lyon, Bordeaux, Marseille
Bundelsiga: Bremen, Wolfsburg, Bayern

I will be shocked if over the next 15 seasons, any side other than the ones mentioned wins there domestic league titles.

With the advent of the UCL and all its inglory, the elite have become untouchable in there quest for the UCL, and thus the knock on effect is that the domestic leagues are even more dominated, and harder to win. Sure in the EPL there will be shocks, hull can beat man u, sunderland can beat liverpool, and one week arsenal will beat man u 4-0 then lose at home to wigan. But the moneybags teams will eventually overcome.

Personally, the creation of a vaster UCL has ruined football

[Ian]

Took the words out my mouth, Drew

Thing is, do you want the Serie A to sell it's soul? That is what happened to the epl. Also, the epl might look all glitz and glam but each club has absolute massive debts - if these were called in the league would implode

And for all the CL dominance, I think it's only liverfool who have managed to win a final against a foreign team Even then they were the worst team on the night!

[drew]

Took the words out my mouth, Drew

Thing is, do you want the Serie A to sell it's soul? That is what happened to the epl. Also, the epl might look all glitz and glam but each club has absolute massive debts - if these were called in the league would implode

And for all the CL dominance, I think it's only liverfool who have managed to win a final against a foreign team Even then they were the worst team on the night!

the EPL dominance doesnt bother me to be honest, only 2 teams have won it since 2004. We have dominate too, since 2003. Its the name on the trophy that counts.

I dont think carlo is going to be successful at chelsea, he is playing the diamond from milan, and it has no width at all, they were lucky yesterday, i predict a man u or (hopefully) arsenal win, id love to see the gunners win the UCL. Wenger deserves it.

I also think, If leo doesnt last, we should make an all out bid to try and get wenger here, the man is a genius, even if i dont like him that much.

Ian is corrct, the EPL is hanging on by a thread, if Platini starts to force the 5 foreigners rule, and that teams in debt cant play in the UCL, then the EPL is fucked beyond belief, there are a lot of shaky owners in the EPL if you ask me, Pool and Man U are owned by americans ( do they give a shit really?) Man city investors could want to move to a larger team if they fail to achieve this season.

Despite the money, Serie A needs to become attractive to families, and marketed correctly, if a league that boasts Milan, Inter, Juve, and teams from such beautiful cities as Rome, Florence, Siena, and Venice cant market itself then it is beyond help.

Perhaps getting the world cup would force a change, Italy has rested on its laurels for too long. Barca are revamping there stadium, i think la liga will take an EPL type overhaul, its time serie A did too

[Haroon]

In the season, considering the state of the Serie A I think we should be able to come in at POSITION NUMBER 3 if we play well. I feel that it will be one of the most competitive Serie A tournaments in recent seasons because the top sides barring Inter are very evenly matched due to one situation or another! Milan, Juve, Fiorentina, Napoli, Udinese, Roma and Lazio look very close to me right now. It will be pretty interesting.

Not bad for someone who ALLEGEDLY oozes negativity and is unjustifiably harsh on our saintly management. That's from last August on Page 1 of this thread.

I call it as I see it.

[drew]

I am quietly confident about this season, I'm very excited about seeing Merkel and Verdi in particular.

We just need that one good midfield signing.

An extra FB would help but if nothing else, this season willl be good to watch the primavera guys

[DonCorleone]

I've just stumbled upon Huntelaar's stats and that motherfucker has scored 226 goals in 356 matches! That is fucking impressive! Why the fuck did we play Borriello????!!! Him and Ibra could be a killer combination.. I dunno why we got rid of him so fast..