The current state of football bothers me.

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Tbite
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The current state of football bothers me.

Post by Tbite »

Western Europe have such a strong grip on what many have termed the 'World' Game.

There was a time when Central and Eastern European teams were at the highest level in European football. A time when Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union had clout in the International game. When club sides from Yugoslavia and Romania won or competed in the Finals of Europe's most prestigious club championship.

That was then! At a time when the Ballon D'or was not even open to players outside of Europe, when FIFA berths were token for the fringe nations! The world is converging, Eastern Asia has become a dominant economic hub, many African countries have slashed absolute poverty. Despite the problems in Mexico, South Africa and Brazil of varying natures, those economies have nonetheless made significant strides in the past 50 years. Perhaps parallels can be drawn between then and Croatia (a successor state of Yugoslavia), as well as the fairy tale runs of teams such as Turkey and South Korea, but that is really more of the same. In a converging world, we should have ventured beyond this level of satisfaction.

The economic convergence in the world has not had a tangible reflection on the world game. Perhaps there is some dispersal in the diffusion of talent, participation and coverage, but not on the structures and certainly not in eroding the monopolization of knowledge.

The best club sides are an elite group of entities that hoard the world's best football practices and personnel. Footballing talents bounce back and forth between these select teams, as do their coaching staff, financial transfers, commercial rights, interest and political capital.


When I was young, I idolised Il Fenomeno. No sooner had Nigeria been ousted from that disastrous outing in Korea/Japan, had I fixed my attention on the Brasilian dream. As citizens of the peripheral nations, or as football lovers in general, it is natural to bask in the greatness of those who do it best. It is rational to conclude that those who play the round 'leather' game at its best are deserving of all the accolade. So I am not here to necessarily lead an inquest into financial irregularities, into poor officiating or other biases. I am here to ask the world, as we on CE have recently posed the question to CAF, what can be done?

This is NOT the way it should be. The world belongs to those who take the bull by the horn. I believe in Darwinism and free market capitalism and the laissez faire. However, I believe in bridging the gap between disparate structures. It is not idealist to suggest that small clusters of power are 'strange' in a converging world.

I will remain bothered, but hopeful. As I still have the puppy eyes of that kid who fell in love with elegance of El brujo de porto alegre, Il Fenomeno etc. I will be dazzled by the confidence of Kylian Mbappe, by the silky smooth pivoting of Neymar and Firmino. However, to be dazzled and entertained is not mutually exclusive with being bothered by the state of world football.

There is more to World Football than Western Europe and to a lesser extent, its former dependencies. Let us remind one another that this is not Table Tennis, Cricket, Rugby, Basketball, Baseball etc. The level of participation and interest in this game is more dispersed than most activities in human history! What we have today is abnormal.
Last edited by Tbite on Mon Jul 02, 2018 9:44 pm, edited 6 times in total.
Buhari, whose two terms thankfully ground to a constitutional halt in May. (One thing both democracies have going for them is that their leaders, however bad, have only two terms to swing the wrecking ball.) Under Buhari, growth per head also plunged to 0. An economic agenda drawn from the dusty pages of a 1970s protectionist handbook failed to do the trick. Despite Buhari’s promise to tame terrorism and criminality, violence flourished. Despite his reputation for probity, corruption swirled. FT
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Re: The current state of football bothers me.

Post by Coach »

No Casemiro, balls being launched into the box, long throws and corners, Brazil are in for a hard slog to the final.
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Re: The current state of football bothers me.

Post by Heliopolis »

Brazil, Colombia, Uruguay, Mexico, Argentina (last WC), Chile (last WC), etc. What the f are you talking about Willis?
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Re: The current state of football bothers me.

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Heliopolis wrote:Brazil, Colombia, Uruguay, Mexico, Argentina (last WC), Chile (last WC), etc. What the f are you talking about Willis?
Think again.
Buhari, whose two terms thankfully ground to a constitutional halt in May. (One thing both democracies have going for them is that their leaders, however bad, have only two terms to swing the wrecking ball.) Under Buhari, growth per head also plunged to 0. An economic agenda drawn from the dusty pages of a 1970s protectionist handbook failed to do the trick. Despite Buhari’s promise to tame terrorism and criminality, violence flourished. Despite his reputation for probity, corruption swirled. FT
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Re: The current state of football bothers me.

Post by tfco »

Heliopolis wrote:Brazil, Colombia, Uruguay, Mexico, Argentina (last WC), Chile (last WC), etc. What the f are you talking about Willis?

no mind am
Brazil will win this WC, and he will change his tune


5 games sweet o
DNA no good o


AFCON 2024 L-O-S-E-R-S

They did not CEDIS coming
Naira Did We :rotf: :rotf:


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Re: The current state of football bothers me.

Post by Coach »

Is hiphop just a euphemism for a new religion...Ever since Nigeria were KOd, the state of football, prejudicial programming of VAR, systema del Uruguay et al have come to prominence, as excuse stands before the mirror with a box full of makeup. Nigeria were knocked out because they weren't good enough. On July 15th, someone will lie slumped on the floor having failed to meet the necessary grade for World Championship, it is what it is. Survival of the fit, only the strong survive.
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Re: The current state of football bothers me.

Post by Tbite »

tfco wrote:
Heliopolis wrote:Brazil, Colombia, Uruguay, Mexico, Argentina (last WC), Chile (last WC), etc. What the f are you talking about Willis?

no mind am
Brazil will win this WC, and he will change his tune


5 games sweet o
DNA no good o

No no no. I am not talking about the WC but World Football in general, and I am including Brazil, Argentina etc (to a lesser extent) as part of this elite group of countries that monopolize football. I said as much in the initial post.

At best there are 10 countries in the world where football stands above the rest. In club football specifically we can narrow it to three countries these days, with the rest acting as feeders.

There is no point looking for little bright spots, the odd upset here or there, a stable league in Mexico or Brasil, growing investment in India/China etc. Because at this stage of the world game, the level of disparity is still far greater than it should be.

One could argue that the centralization or concentration of football makes it easier to control and manipulate. For example the FIFA selection committee for Mundials was conveniently small, in such a way that it could be controlled. There is a lot of speculation that investors are now using football as a means to 'move' large amounts of money around. It may not even be the case that three or four countries produce the best talent, but those feeder countries are consolidating in those 3 or so markets.

For example Brazil, Argentinian players are as dominant in the European Leagues as the English, The Belgians, the Uruguayans are substantial contributors to the European game. Even Senegal is a significant exporter of talent, but all of this talent is consolidated in 3 or so countries. Checkbook managers bounce between these countries, because they are the only ones able to sustain their wages and appetite. Commercial viability means that even when other countries are more capable in churning out talent, they become mere feeders.

It is not really debatable, but football has never been the world game and is not becoming so.

There are studies on this, EnuguII might know more about it. This is NOT a new concept.
Buhari, whose two terms thankfully ground to a constitutional halt in May. (One thing both democracies have going for them is that their leaders, however bad, have only two terms to swing the wrecking ball.) Under Buhari, growth per head also plunged to 0. An economic agenda drawn from the dusty pages of a 1970s protectionist handbook failed to do the trick. Despite Buhari’s promise to tame terrorism and criminality, violence flourished. Despite his reputation for probity, corruption swirled. FT
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Re: The current state of football bothers me.

Post by Tbite »

Coach wrote:Is hiphop just a euphemism for a new religion...Ever since Nigeria were KOd, the state of football, prejudicial programming of VAR, systema del Uruguay et al have come to prominence, as excuse stands before the mirror with a box full of makeup. Nigeria were knocked out because they weren't good enough. On July 15th, someone will lie slumped on the floor having failed to meet the necessary grade for World Championship, it is what it is. Survival of the fit, only the strong survive.
Not talking about this. Haba when have you known me to be 1 track minded individual?

I am looking at the big picture, not on ANY particular issue here, heck not even specifically on the World Cup as I said.

I am saying World Football is far too imbalanced and what can be done about it. It is a simple concept. I really doubt football is supposed to be about watching Western Europe juggle trophies among themselves, and South America do its thing to some extent as well.

This is one of the most dispersed activities in human history. One might make the economy parallel. But I think even the global economy is somewhat not as disparate as this. Perhaps countries such as China and South Africa are too new to the scene, but one would wonder why even the South American leagues are not rivalling the European leagues for viability. One could argue that without South America, the EPL is significantly weakened. Why do these countries not push for their own viability.

Even in Western Europe, countries such as Belgium, Netherlands, Portugal with considerable talent are seen as feeder leagues. The English System which is not at the helm in innovation sits above them, because of commercial viability? I am interested to know why we are creating these disparate structures and what can be done to erode them, or rather supplant them.

There is more to football than these few countries and leagues. I think I might start promoting other leagues on CE.
Buhari, whose two terms thankfully ground to a constitutional halt in May. (One thing both democracies have going for them is that their leaders, however bad, have only two terms to swing the wrecking ball.) Under Buhari, growth per head also plunged to 0. An economic agenda drawn from the dusty pages of a 1970s protectionist handbook failed to do the trick. Despite Buhari’s promise to tame terrorism and criminality, violence flourished. Despite his reputation for probity, corruption swirled. FT
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Re: The current state of football bothers me.

Post by Tbite »

The J League is one bit of disappointment, the investment in the 80s and 90s definitely produced results, especially with Japan's rise in World Football in the late 90s, World Cup qualification, R16 ensued etc. Of course significant strength in the Asian Champions League.

but one wonders whether leagues such as the Chinese Super League, MLS are simply following this template, creating a moderate structure for their national football, without really ascending above that level.

Viability is there for the taking. We have known for many decades for example that many top leagues in Europe such as the EPL are overrated and simply rely on their financial clout to dominate. Other leagues should be looking to stand their ground.
Buhari, whose two terms thankfully ground to a constitutional halt in May. (One thing both democracies have going for them is that their leaders, however bad, have only two terms to swing the wrecking ball.) Under Buhari, growth per head also plunged to 0. An economic agenda drawn from the dusty pages of a 1970s protectionist handbook failed to do the trick. Despite Buhari’s promise to tame terrorism and criminality, violence flourished. Despite his reputation for probity, corruption swirled. FT

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