Rather Be In The Championship?

I ran across this article today and it makes some excellent points. They were many of the same thoughts I was having as I tried to console myself when it seemed as if Fulham were surely going down. So what do you think? Would you rather be a perennial lower half team in the Prem or a top 10 team in the Championship?

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/ ... 994856.ece

 

I agree with Don. When it comes down to it, if you were a player would you rather play on a team in the prem(bottom half or not) or in the CCC? I would rather play in the prem. The money/tv coverage is with the big boys. Not to mention most players only get better by playing against tougher competition.

 

Let's paint it a slightly different way:
Rather than Leeds, which I see no reason at all for anyone here to follow, (after all it was the first UK friendly that the Crew ever played and Leeds were AWFUL!)

Let's use Preston NE as an example.. for years fighting to get in the playoffs or top of the league. I dont mind FOLLOWING PNE once in a while, and I love their fans - they glommed onto McBride as excellent with a game or two- but I definitely have given thought to:

What happens if PNE is Promoted?!!!!

Not a pretty mind-picture.

 

I thought of an interview I saw with Aidy Boothroyd this year. One of Watford's fans asked him if it was woth going up to the Prem to get beaten up every Sunday as was the case with Watford and Derby. Boothroyd said basically that was a ridiculous question, and it's so much better to play the best teams in the world, the Man Uniteds, the Liverpools, the Newcastles (OK, I made that last one up), rather than spend a Saturday playing the Colchesters and the Barnsleys of the world. He couldn't wait to try to go back up. I think Watford was 6 points clear of everyone at the time and they were looking like they could impose their will on everyone else in the league. Shows what a tough game this is.

As a fan, I don't even want to think about Fulham in the CCC. I did enough of that up until the Murphy-to-Kamara goal. As some have said here, it is not a given that you will go straight back up. Reading had something like 100 points in the CCC three years ago, and there they are, in a dogfight with 23 other teams who will remember some of the losses they suffered to them and look at Reading as a team to hunt. They've got a big ol' bullseye on their back, and they will have to scrap for 46 games next year or they'll be crying their fate like Sheffield United did when they went down. I don't think any rational Reading fans would rather trade the road trip to Anfield for whatever Swansea calls their ground if they had their way, Better them than us.

 

My son and I follow and cheer for Leeds. He was born there and we lived there for a few years. I have very fond memories of the place. Is that reason enough?

 

well, then... now I see a reason.

Carry on with it.

 

I would much rather be in the Premier League.

1. As mentioned by others above, being in the Coca-Cola Championship gives no guarantee that Fulham would be successful there. It sounds easy to say Fulham would be a top half team but the CCC is one of the more unpredictable and most competitive leagues I have witnessed. Anyone can beat anyone on any given day.

2. Being in the CCC would mean no tv for those of us here in the States and Canada.

 

The only benefit to being in the CCC (that I can see) is that there is greater overall parity in the league, there is more scoring, and the Playoffs are an exciting end to the season (Hull, anyone?)

I would never trade being in the Prem... you just have to hope that your side makes the most of it, and has an extended stay.

Preston NE in the Prem? That would be ugly.

A helpful link about every team that has ever been in the Prem, for how long, etc:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_FA ... ague_clubs

 

I'd actually like to see PNE in the Premier League. It would be a good thing for a class act like Sir Tom Finney to see his club playing at the top level once again.

We might even get a profile of the Football Hall of Fame located at Deepdale on the FSC Preview shows. I'd love to get a good look at that museum.

As for Leeds United, I hope they enjoy the trip to Hereford! : )

 

I agree with you all, of course. I'd MUCH rather be in the EPL than the CCC. I do wish there were some way to introduce some parity to the EPL, though. It seems as if the only way that can happen is if every team had a Russian billionare owner. Even then, the Sky four would still find a way to dominate, I imagine.