How can we carry on if the Premier League isn’t “The Greatest League In The World”™? The Champions League quarter-finals have been a salutary reminder that there are good footballers in good football teams managed by good coaches who happen to play in other countries. You may be reading this after the Europa and Conference League games – who knows what state the coefficient will be in after those.
Best League in the World is an easy throwaway line. Pump this up. Hype it up. Every game is great. We can’t have dead air. Football fans deserve more credit. For every great advert, for every Chelsea 4-4 Manchester City, there’s a Manchester City 0-0 Arsenal. And that’s OK. We love football because games are different: some are wild, some are tense, some are brilliant, some are terrible, and just give you a good chance to catch up with whoever you sit next to. We put the hours in – we know this stuff. It’s actually part of football’s joy.
The ease with which we can watch continental leagues has perhaps qualified our Premier League attachment. But I am definitely guilty of falling into a hubristic trap of believing I’m getting the best thing. If there needs to be a best league in the world, then there are compelling arguments for it to be the Premier League. It has the most money and the highest wages, which isn’t necessarily a good thing – but it means the greatest concentration of talent.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Carse gives thanks after England return
Brydon Carse has expressed his thanks to the \"incredibly supportive\" England setup after his rapid reintegration following his ban, and hopes to repay the faith shown in him, first in the remaining one-day internationals against Australia and then in the Test series in Pakistan that follows immediately.
Evenepoel and Brown win races against time once more
The double Olympic gold medallist Remco Evenepoel successfully defended the world time trial title he won in last year's World Road Championships in Glasgow, with victory in this year's event in Zurich.
All or nothing Manchester City should either be vindicated or damned by hearing
Let's start by going back to December 2016.
Pylons v property Why disputed power lines may not hit house prices
The village of Beauly, near Inverness, marks the starting point of what was once Britain's largest and most controversial power grid project: a 137-mile electricity superhighway from the quiet Highlands village to a large substation in Denny near Falkirk.
Losses from obesity higher than weight loss jab costs
Rising healthcare costs and productivity losses from the global obesity crisis far outstrip the cost of new weight-loss drugs, according to a report, which also calls on governments to prioritise prevention by promoting a healthy diet.
Diesel and petrol prices fall at fastest rate since December
The price of petrol and diesel in the UK is falling at the fastest pace this year, with households paying about £4 less to fill up a family car than they did a month ago.
Tech firms must help refund victims of fraud, says HSBC
HSBC has thrown its weight behind calls for tech firms to pay up for fraud, saying incoming compensation rules requiring banks to reimburse scam victims up to £85,000 will fail to stem the flow of fraud, and prove that the financial sector is not the problem.
Succession drama Fox News fate at stake as Murdochs take family shares to court
One family succession battle is gripping the media and dominating water cooler conversations at the New York headquarters of Fox News.
Leftist Dissanayake wins Sri Lankan presidential election after historic runoff
A Marxist leader, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, has won Sri Lanka's presidential election, in what is being seen as a widespread rejection of the old political elite blamed for the country's continuing economic woes.
Gaza Seven killed in Israeli airstrike on school shelter
Seven people were killed yesterday after an Israeli airstrike hit a school housing displaced people in western Gaza City, Palestinian health officials said, amid fears that Gaza's worsening humanitarian crisis might be forgotten as tensions boil between Hezbollah and Israel.
